The punishment received by the French football team, Thursday against Mexico (4-1) in raising the curtain of the Olympics, will have at least served to raise the alarm.
To do as well as in Rio in 2016 and return to the country with 42 medals or more, the French delegation must be able to count on all of its 378 representatives.
And hope that the collectives also put themselves at the service of the collective.
Never in modern history have French co-sports attacked the Games with such potential.
Snubbed by Ligue 1, the selection of Sylvain Ripoll is almost an exception in the concert of companies of Blues candidates for the podium.
The three basketball teams, the two of handball, passing by those of men's volleyball and women's rugby sevens, all hope to see the cord (of the medal) passed around the neck.
Basketball: a three-point basket?
For its first three-selection Olympics (male, female and 3x3 female), French basketball dreams of hitting the cardboard.
In lack of benchmarks, the men's team led by the gratin of the NBA (Gobert, Batum, Fournier) or the European flower (De Colo, Heurtel, Yabusélé) can hope to elbow for the title, remembering the their elders' money in 2000.
They are ready, more than ever 💙🤍❤
📲 Opening ceremony from 12:35 on @ France2tv # Tokyo2020 # 3x3 @jeuxolympiques @Olympics @EquipeFRA pic.twitter.com/MTJrAhN4lu
- 3x3 FFBB (@ 3x3Ffbb) July 23, 2021
After their defeat in the Euro final last month, the daughters of Valérie Garnier, silver in 2012 and 4th in 2016, also dream of a podium.
And what about the 3x3 which, for its first appearance, will be able to count on the two best players in the world, Laëtitia Guapo and Migna Touré.
Handball: as usual?
Vice-Olympic champions in 2016, the women's and men's selections allowed France to glean two medals in collective sport at the same Olympics.
Less radiant than in the past, Karabatic and his gang can nevertheless run for a podium if they emerge in a good position from their hen raised (with in particular Germany, Spain and Norway) to afford an affordable quarterback.
Read alsoJO de Tokyo: Riner, Agbegnenou, Mayer ... and now, the Blues to play and make us dream
Confidence is less shaken among the daughters of Olivier Krumbholz who, two years after losing their world title in Japan, have the ambition to snatch Olympic gold, the only title still missing from their record.
Sevens rugby: what if the oval goes smoothly?
Already present for the first of the discipline in Rio, the Bleues du VII snatched their ticket for Tokyo during a qualifying tournament in Monaco in June, where they did not collect a single point.
The French dream of a medal in a competition where they will face from the hens one of the favorite teams, Canada, which had left them in quarterback in 2016. "The group has matured", promises the coach, David Courteix.
Confirmation expected from July 29.
🇫🇷✈️🇯🇵 You were waiting for her, she is here!
Our # France7 𝒑𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑻𝒐𝒌𝒚𝒐 team!
🔥 #EnRoutePourTokyo
そ ら 行 け ブ ル ー!
pic.twitter.com/aASP5GGflQ
- France Rugby (@FranceRugby) July 5, 2021
Volleyball: a first for Tillie's last?
The volleyball players aim for the podium.
After finishing third in the League of Nations in their first international competition for a year and a half, the Blues approach the Tokyo meeting with the ambition to do at least as well.
On the condition of knowing how to negotiate their entry into the running, from Saturday, against the United States, in an extremely dense pool, which also includes Brazil, defending champion, Italy, Argentina, Russia and Tunisia. These Blues have won the biggest club titles. They only need an Olympic medal for the last competition on the tricolor bench of the coach, Laurent Tillie, who, during the year, coaches… the Osaka team.
