Following France's 3-0 win over New Zealand in the final round of the Olympic group stage, France's head coach Thierry Henry spoke to the media, commenting on his team's performance and the contribution of captain Mikel Mateta, and looking ahead to the upcoming matches.
Henry began by speaking highly of Matta's performance as captain. He pointed out that Mata is not only a player with outstanding skills, but also a leader who can bring positive atmosphere and motivation to the team. Henry said: "Mata is an amazing player, his sense of humor and interaction with his teammates make the team more united. He likes to joke with everyone and gives everyone a lot of positive energy. Although he left the camp briefly due to club business, it didn't affect his status and form in the team. We decided to give him the captain's armband and keep him on the field, and his performance proved that we made the right decision."
Henry also talked about the team's emotional management during the game. He emphasized that it is normal to feel emotions, but the key is how to control them and not let them affect the performance of the game. Henry said: "I always tell them that emotions will come, but it is important not to be swayed by emotions. Because once the emotions get out of control, the game will become very difficult. Now we are about to enter a new phase of the competition and the group stage is just the beginning. We have to stay calm and focused and be ready for the challenges ahead."
Looking ahead to the next match, the French national Olympics will face the Argentine national Olympics. Henry said that the team still has a few days to prepare and adjust. He emphasized that the team needs to remain focused and enthusiastic about the game, while developing an effective tactical strategy for Argentina's characteristics. Henry said: "We know that Argentina is a very strong team, they have a lot of good players. But we also believe in our own strength and ability. As long as we stay calm and focused and play at our own level, we will have a chance to beat them."
