Competitions at the Paris Olympics kicked off with soccer matches involving Spain and Argentina in Paris and Saint-Etienne on Wednesday. Spain faced Uzbekistan at Parc des Princes in western Paris, the former home of French striker Kylian Mbappé during his time at Paris Saint-Germain. Uzbekistan captain Eldor Shomurodov, who previously played for Cagliari in Serie A and had scored 40 goals for his country, initiated the game by passing the ball back to a teammate amidst applause. FIFA president Gianni Infantino met with players before the match.
Argentina, without Lionel Messi, started their game against Morocco at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Étienne, also known as Le Chaudron (The Cauldron) due to the passionate support of the local club's fans. Outside the stadium, Moroccan and Argentine fans mingled, with two Argentine supporters displaying a flag honoring the late Diego Maradona, affectionately known as 'El Pibe de Oro' (the Golden Kid).
