The Paris Olympics, in Marseille
Notes from the south of France, where Team USA's men's and women's Olympic soccer teams open their journey, with an eye on making it to Paris
— Marseille
There’s a clip in this Olympic preview from US Women’s National Team greats Christen Press and Tobin Heath I keep returning to. They’re discussing the unique experience of the Olympics, while playing in a satellite site. You’re an Olympian, but at least for the start of the tournament, the heartbeat of commotion is somewhere further off.
Heath: “... what's actually cool about Olympic soccer is it gives the country of the host city an opportunity to feel a part of the Olympics. So all of these awesome cities in France that have beautiful stadiums, football specific stadiums, will get Olympic Games. And you go about the country, and you feel like you're on the outskirts of the Olympics. You're kind of not even thought about until there's an opportunity to win a medal.”
Having competed in four Olympic tournaments (Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo) Tobin goes on to describe the various journeys different host countries provide, emphasizing that the full grandeur hits you if you make it to the host city.
In the Rio Olympics, Tobin recalled as a disappointing example, the four-time gold medalists never saw Rio. Because the team fell historically short (losing in the quarterfinals to familiar foe Sweden), their only memories are of Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, and the rainforest in Manaus.
For most competitors in this Olympic football tournament, making it to Paris is an achievement in and of itself. With the exception of a few group stage games, it’s one reserved for teams that progress far enough and in most cases, a reward only for those that compete for the gold medal.
Last night in Marseille, with fresh history made for the men’s program, who picked up their first Olympic win since 2008 following their largest margin of victory at the Games (4-1 against New Zealand), the team made clear their intent on making it to that grand Parisian stage.
They may very well do so. And sooner than we think: a second place finish in Group A would send them straight to the Parc des Princes, for the only knockout match in Paris before the final.
But with an almost defiant team belief that their opening loss didn’t reflect how well they played, they’re hoping for a chance to show their worth in the final, too. Djordje Mihailovic (who scored the team’s opening goal from the penalty spot), hinted that they hope to recapture the unique energy of their opening affair in front of 67,000 fans, by making the gold medal game:
“I think we also have to understand the type of game we played against France. Opening game against the host nation. This is the type of game we want to play. Hopefully we get that in the final.”
The women trade places with the men today, settling in for a two game stint at Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome while the men (who just played two games there) depart for Saint-Étienne. The two faces of Team USA play most of their group games at the same venue, and have also been training at the same complex, Stade Francis Turcan, just outside of Marseille. They hope to end their journey in the same spot too.
Walker Zimmerman (who scored the second goal last evening) on the team’s dual Parisian hopes:
“We're traveling tomorrow afternoon, so we won't be able to go [to the women’s game against Germany], which is a bummer. You know I've been trying to link up with some of them and it's just so hard with the schedules and how big the turnaround is. But obviously [I’ve] been in touch with a couple of them, and rooting them on, and it's just really exciting to be here alongside of them. We both have aspirations to really go far in this tournament. And hopefully we'll meet up again in Paris.”
Those aspirations land in the final, played in Paris August 9 and 10. But the two could very well meet in Paris in a matter of days. Should the men’s side place second in Group A, and the women place first in Group B (no small feat, with Germany and Australia waiting to have their say), they’d both play their quarterfinal matches in Paris, August 2 and 3.
But for now, they’re both competing in the south of France, eyes on that host city stage, taking ready hold of the broader Team USA feeling. Tobin again, (winner of two gold medals, a bronze medal and two World Cups) on the feeling of representing Team USA:
“You know, one of my favorite things about the uniqueness of this world championship is actually the jerseys. So, we just saw the USWNT in their send off games. They’re wearing the crest with the stars [four stars noting their four World Cup wins] over them, but for the Olympics, what you'll see is actually a jersey that doesn't have a crest. It's not the US Soccer Federation. It is Team USA. Therefore, instead of the crest, you will see a jersey that just says USA. And that is just an indication of being part of a bigger team. Bigger than the US Women’s National Team. You are part of Team USA. And it kind of immediately reframes what you're there for, what you're there to win, and you're there to win a medal for Team USA.”
That surging sense of being a part of the grander ambition (spread across France but anchored in Paris) is clearly felt among the USA’s soccer teams, who are side by side in this tournament for the first time in 16 years.
As Gianluca Busio (who scored goal number three against New Zealand) made his way through the mixed zone last evening, I could hear him tell a member of the press that the US is known for winning medals. Their ambition is to contribute to that.
And while they watched Friday’s Opening Ceremony from far-off, the team donned their Team USA suits and celebrated, feeling a part of the broader mission. Left-back John Tolkin, on how they watched: “We all dressed up in our opening ceremony outfits for dinner and Walker Zimmerman and Tanner gave little intros for each guy. So it was special in its own way.”
Tanner Tessmann, who wore the captain’s band again last night: “Oh, it was awesome. I mean, we had a good group of the guys. We all dressed up in our suits, as probably everyone saw, and had a nice opening ceremony with me and Walker. It was good banter, it was a good time.”
Adding that he’ll frame the Team USA jacket one day, Tessmann told me he enjoyed the ceremony itself, emphasizing how “sick” the USA looked: “I mean, I thought it was cool. Everybody coming on the boats. I thought the USA, we're always looking sick, all the people there with the flags. I just love seeing that support with our country.”
I guess Tobin and Heath did not vist Stockport via train when they were at United lol