Thierry Henry's France are hoping the home crowd at the Parc des Princes will propel them to Olympic men's football gold, but an impressive Spain side stands in their way in Friday's final.

Henry, a legendary figure in French football, has guided his team to the brink of their second Olympic gold, 40 years after their triumph in Los Angeles. That historic win came shortly after the French national team claimed their first major trophy by defeating Spain on home soil in the Euro 84 final.

In a packed Parc des Princes, the home supporters will look to inspire France to victory. Henry has successfully crafted a cohesive team despite facing numerous rejections from clubs unwilling to release their players for the Olympics. The men's tournament is restricted to players under 23, with three exceptions for over-age players.

Star players like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann were not available, and new Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram had to return to his club. However, the experienced Alexandre Lacazette, along with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise, have led the team admirably.

France won all three group matches without conceding a goal, defeated Argentina 1-0 in the quarter-finals, and showed resilience to come from behind and beat Egypt 3-1 in extra time in the semi-finals. Mateta, who scored twice against Egypt, expressed excitement about playing in Paris.

Spain started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan in Paris and continued their strong performance by beating Japan in Lyon and Morocco 2-1 in the semi-finals in Marseille. Goals from Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez and substitute Juanlu Sanchez secured their spot in the final.

Lopez, who has scored four goals in the tournament, is confident Spain can handle the pressure and the crowd. Spain, coached by former Atletico Madrid defender Santi Denia, are aiming for their second Olympic gold, having previously won in Barcelona in 1992. They were silver medallists in Tokyo three years ago.

Spain's recent record in international football is remarkable, with the men's senior side winning the European Championship last month, the women's team winning the World Cup last year, and the Under-19 team winning the Euros less than two weeks ago. A victory in the Olympic final would cap off a glorious summer for Spanish football.