France vs USA 87-98: Paris Olympics men’s gold medal match – as it happened

A legendary USA team manifest their destiny and secure a 17th Olympic men’s basketball gold with a 98-87 triumph over hosts, France.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage of this thrilling matchup and make sure to join us again as we continue to cover the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

On behalf of Andrew Semple, this is Rohan Sharma signing off.

Keep up to date: You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated Paris 2024 Olympics tournament page, with all the news and features as well as event build-up and live text commentary on selected football, basketball, tennis and boxing fixtures. Stay informed with real-time updates from Paris 2024 with our Olympics events calendar, medal table and results pages.

IT WAS ALWAYS GOLD.

The 🇺🇸 #USABMNT wins a 5th consecutive Olympic gold medal! pic.twitter.com/nYx0SBh0Ui

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 10, 2024

A disappointed France coach, Vincent Collet, provided his views after the game: “For sure, it’s a disappointment because we expected we could do it.

“But we have to recognise at the end that they are better.

“We are very close, [but] when they make fantastic shots, that’s the difference.”

“It’s their incredible talent that ended up making the difference,” he said.

“It’s a final against the Americans, in Paris.

“You can say it as much as you want. Each player has his emotions. We tried to use them but it wasn’t possible here.”

Un parcours incroyable, une nouvelle médaille olympique 🇫🇷

Comme à Tokyo, les Bleus montent sur la 2e marche du podium des Jeux Olympiques 🥈#TeamFranceBasket | #PassionnémentBleu | #Paris2024pic.twitter.com/qpLOE4m8N5

— Équipes de France de Basket (@FRABasketball) August 10, 2024

Kerr, who wins his first Olympic gold medal as a coach, shared his thoughts as well: “I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal.

“That’s the pressure that we face. But our players, and you saw Steph, they love the pressure. They appreciate this atmosphere and they were fantastic.

“It’s right up there with all of the greatest games of his [Curry’s] career,” Kerr said.

“The shot-making was just incredible. But under the circumstances, on the road, in Paris, against France for a gold medal, this is storybook stuff.

“But that’s what Steph does. He likes to be in storybooks.”

Steve Kerr:

5x NBA Champion as a player
4x NBA Champion as a head coach
1x FIBA World Cup Gold as a player
1x Olympic Gold Medal as a head coach

Regardless of what we say…he is one of the most accomplished individuals in basketball history 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/8HLBvSNswo

— Guru (@DrGuru_) August 10, 2024

Curry, who rescued the day with his shooting from a distance, had this to say after the game: “For me to get a gold medal is insane and I thank God for the opportunity to experience it.

“A big shot to put us up six [in the fourth quarter] – that kind of settled everything,” he said.

“And then the rhythm – the avalanche came – and thankfully, the other three went in. That was an unbelievable moment.

“I’ve been blessed to play basketball at a high level for a very long time. This ranks very high in terms of excitement and the sense of relief, getting to the finish line.

“It’s everything I wanted them to be,” Curry said. “And more.”

Gold Habits

🇺🇸 #USABMNTpic.twitter.com/6y5tEwyPu4

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 10, 2024

What a shooting marvel Stephen Curry is.

From 2.42 in the final quarter, with the score USA 82-France 79, the Golden State Warriors guard made four out of four three-pointers in a two-minute and seven-second span.

When he nailed the fourth three-pointer with 35 seconds remaining – a ridiculous circus shot with two French defenders right on top of him – it put the USA ahead 96-87 and victory was assured.

Curry’s incredible clutch scoring late will go right up there on the Team USA fourth-quarter pantheon alongside Kobe Bryant’s heroic individual effort to defeat Spain 118-107 in the 2008 gold medal game at the Beijing Olympics.

ALL-STAR FIVE of #Paris2024 Men’s #Basketball

🔸Dennis Schroder, Germany 🇩🇪
🔸Stephen Curry, USA 🇺🇸
🔸LeBron James, USA 🇺🇸
🔸Victor Wembanyama, France 🇫🇷
🔸Nikola Jokic, Serbia 🇷🇸 pic.twitter.com/4cxZwzISTF

— FIBA (@FIBA) August 10, 2024

There is plenty of support as the best team in the tournament are handed their medals.

Predictably, the biggest cheers are reserved for James, Durant and Curry, who will all likely feature in their final Olympics.

The fans give Embiid one last hefty boo for memories’ sake, with the Philadelphia 76ers centre taking it in his stride with a playful bow.

The ceremony ends with the US national anthem.

The Los Angeles Lakers veteran averaged 17.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game as USA captured a fifth-straight Olympic gold.

⭐️ THE MVP OF #Paris2024 Men’s #Basketball ⭐️

LeBron James, United States of America 🇺🇸 👑 pic.twitter.com/7S6UWxvNPq

— FIBA (@FIBA) August 10, 2024

With the biggest cheer going to the face of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Wembanyama and the rest of the French squad receive their runners-up medals.

Chants of “MVP” begin to ring from the crowd when Yabusele’s name is brought up on the PA.

He has forever left his mark on these games as well.

Led by Nikola Jokic, the Serbian team is handed their bronze medals after beating Germany earlier today.

After a small delay, we are back at Bercy for the announcement of the men’s basketball medallists.

For the second time in three years, France lose the gold medal match to the USA at an Olympic Games.

This time, they lost as the host nation, adding to the disappointment.

Team USA’s Kevin Durant becomes the first player to win four Gold Medals in men’s Olympic basketball history. Durant has also scored the most points in USA Olympic history. The two-time NBA Finals MVP cements himself as the most decorated USA Basketball player ever. pic.twitter.com/SjvYRtbEPr

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 10, 2024

GREATNESS GETS GOLD 🥇#ParisOlympicspic.twitter.com/jWUEE7Fxc8

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 10, 2024

Curry nails four three-pointers in just over two minutes in the fourth to end the game for France.

Gold night to all & to all a gold night 💤🥇

🇺🇸 #USABMNTpic.twitter.com/ZjNYCBlkJb

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 10, 2024

Despite France constantly knocking on the door in the fourth quarter, USA complete their mission as they secure a 17th men’s basketball Olympic gold with a stirring 98-87 victory.

The hosts take silver as a result, with Serbia having already secured bronze after a 93-83 win over Germany earlier in the day.

Curry was the difference-maker in the end, pulling off some of the most outrageous shot creations you will ever see.

He finishes with 24 points on 8-14 shooting from the field, with all eight made field goals being three-pointers.

Wembanyama lived up to his billing in this crunch game, finishing with a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds.

He was ably supported by Yabusele, who ends on 20 points.

A key statistic that hurt France today was that they could only convert 10 out of 17 attempts from the free-throw line, while USA hit all eight chances.

Oui Win 🥇🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/eSBGhXgvTL

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 10, 2024

Batum checks out after drawing blood.

USA hold onto the final shot with France accepting their fate already.

Time runs out as USA win their 17th men’s basketball Olympic gold!

Wembanyama nails the three from the inbound pass to once again make it a six-point game.

He has 26 points so far.

Curry shakes and bakes before going for the long, looping three from the right wing.

Despite two defenders on him, it goes in! That’s an incredible four three-pointers by Curry in just over two minutes!

Booker then lays in a deep pass to put USA up by 11 points.

Curry shows just how dangerous he can be in these latter stages as the gold medal is well within range.

De Colo lands the pull-up from the right elbow.

Curry hits from three soon after to make it a nine-point game.

Fournier feeds Batum at the right wing, who buries it.

Booker kicks it out to Curry, who pump-fakes before landing another huge three from the top of the arc.

The Golden State Warrior is amped up as he gestures to the crowd after hitting that huge shot.