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Americans Favored to Top Overall Medal Count in Paris Olympics

Paris 2024 Olympics - Preview - Eiffel Tower, Paris, France - June 25, 2024 Olympic rings are displayed on the Eiffel Tower, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic games in Paris REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski
Paris 2024 Olympics - Preview - Eiffel Tower, Paris, France - June 25, 2024 Olympic rings are displayed on the Eiffel Tower, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic games in Paris REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski
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Americans Favored to Top Overall Medal Count in Paris Olympics

Paris 2024 Olympics - Preview - Eiffel Tower, Paris, France - June 25, 2024 Olympic rings are displayed on the Eiffel Tower, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic games in Paris REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski
Paris 2024 Olympics - Preview - Eiffel Tower, Paris, France - June 25, 2024 Olympic rings are displayed on the Eiffel Tower, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic games in Paris REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski

The United States is strongly favored to win the most overall medals when the Paris Olympics open in a month. The big question is this: will the Americans also top the gold-medal tally in a close race with China?
The United States is projected to win 123 medals overall — 37 gold, 34 silver, and 52 bronze. China is forecast to win 87 overall — 36 gold, 29 silver, and 22 bronze.
This forecast is done by Nielsen’s Gracenote Sports, which supplies statistical analysis for sports leagues around the world. It also tracks major competitions involving Olympic sports leading up to the Games, The Associated Press reported.
The United States and China finished 1-2 in both categories in 2021 in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.
Gracenote’s ranking is based on overall medals won, although others focus the rankings on gold totals. The International Olympic Committee does not compile rankings, leaving this to nations and local media.
This would be the eighth straight time the United States has won the most overall medals in the Summer Games. In 1992 at Barcelona, the so-called Unified team topped the overall count. Those athletes were from the former Soviet Union, which had just broken up as a sovereign state.
The last time the United States did not top the gold-medal count in the Summer Games was in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where China invested heavily and saw dividends.
Next in line with overall and gold totals for Paris are: Britain (62-14), France (56-29), Australia (48-13), Japan (46-12), Italy (46-11), Germany (37-10), Netherlands (34-17), South Korea (29-8).
The next 10 are: Hungary (23-7), Canada (20-6), Spain (18-4), Ukraine (17-2), Brazil (16-7), New Zealand (16-4), Poland (15-5), Denmark (14-5), Türkiye (14-4), Ethiopia (13-2).
And 21 through 30 are: Sweden (12-6), Georgia (12-3), Serbia (11-5), Belgium (11-3), Uzbekistan (11-3), Kazakhstan (10-2), Iran (9-4), Croatia (9-3), Romania (9-2), Ireland (9-2).
Host nations always get a bump in medals, and France is expected to get a big one and increase its overall total from 33 in Tokyo. France is forecast to nearly triple its gold-medal output from Tokyo, where Japan picked up a record haul.
Performing at home is an advantage, partly because host nations invest more heavily in training athletes. Then, of course, there are adoring home crowds and the familiar surroundings.
The unknown factor is the presence of Russian and — to a lesser extent — Belarusian athletes. They have been absent from most international competitions over the last two years because of the war in Ukraine. It's still unclear how many will participate, and their influence is difficult to factor into the forecast, Gracenote acknowledges.

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Euro 2024: France and Belgium Meet in Heavyweight Contest with Mbappé Still Wearing a Mask

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappé (R) fights for the ball with France's midfielder #06 Eduardo Camavinga during a training session at the Home Deluxe Arena Stadium in Paderborn, western Germany, on June 27, 2024, during the UEFA Euro 2024 football competition. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappé (R) fights for the ball with France's midfielder #06 Eduardo Camavinga during a training session at the Home Deluxe Arena Stadium in Paderborn, western Germany, on June 27, 2024, during the UEFA Euro 2024 football competition. (AFP)
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Euro 2024: France and Belgium Meet in Heavyweight Contest with Mbappé Still Wearing a Mask

France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappé (R) fights for the ball with France's midfielder #06 Eduardo Camavinga during a training session at the Home Deluxe Arena Stadium in Paderborn, western Germany, on June 27, 2024, during the UEFA Euro 2024 football competition. (AFP)
France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappé (R) fights for the ball with France's midfielder #06 Eduardo Camavinga during a training session at the Home Deluxe Arena Stadium in Paderborn, western Germany, on June 27, 2024, during the UEFA Euro 2024 football competition. (AFP)

France and Belgium meet in the round of 16 at the European Championship on Monday. The neighbors are the top two European nations in the FIFA rankings — France is at No. 2 and Belgium at No. 3 — but they haven't really been playing like it so far. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. local (1600 GMT) in Duesseldorf.

Here's what to know about the match:

Match facts

— The drama surrounding Kylian Mbappé's broken nose has died down somewhat, though he will still need to wear a protective mask for the match. The France captain's only goal in his two appearances so far came from the penalty spot against Poland so the striker has some work to do to reach the tournament-high eight goals he got at the last World Cup in Qatar.

— There has been some criticism in France of the team's style of play, in particular its lack of efficiency up front. France coach Didier Deschamps doesn't appear too concerned at this stage, even telling disgruntled armchair critics: “If they don’t like it, they can change the channel."

— Disenchantment with Belgium's performances went up a notch after the 0-0 draw against Ukraine that closed the group stage and left the team in second place, behind Romania, and on a collision course with France. Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne was leading the players toward the fans gathered behind one of the goals after the match, only to turn away when hearing the loud jeers coming from that end. De Bruyne threw his hands in the air, clearly unhappy with what he was hearing.

— The Belgians have been eliminated in the quarterfinals at the past two Euros but will need to improve to even get to that stage this time. They'll hope for more luck for striker Romelu Lukaku, who has had three goals ruled out by video review and has yet to score.

— Belgium's soccer federation apologized Saturday for a video that appeared on one of its social-media channels. A Belgian comedian was on the video and asked who would “kick Mbappé's shin” during the match, to which Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana replied: “Amadou Onana.” The video has been deleted.

— France and Belgium met in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League, with the French winning each time.

— The winner will play Portugal or Slovenia in the quarterfinals.

Team news

— Antoine Griezmann is expected to return to France's team after being rested against Poland. He could come into midfield to add some creativity, with Aurélien Tchouaméni or Adrien Rabiot potentially dropping out. Mbappé started up front against Poland but may begin on the left wing against Belgium.

— Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco doesn't seem sure on who to play on the right wing, with Leandro Trossard starting twice, Dodi Lukébakio once and Yannick Carrasco also operating there. If Mbappé is at center forward, his pace could trouble Belgium's 37-year-old center back, Jan Vertonghen.

By the numbers

— Mbappé’s goal against Poland was his first at a European Championship. He has played six games at the tournament.

— France lost in the round of 16 at the last Euros in 2021, in a penalty shootout with Switzerland. Mbappé was the only France player to fail to score in the shootout.

— Belgium has won only one of its last six meetings with France, a 4-3 victory in Paris in 2015.

— De Bruyne turned 33 on Friday.

What they’re saying

— “Once the group stage is over, it’s in the past, just as it is for us. Mentally, they’ll be different. They’re still a side who can surprise you at any moment.” — France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga on Belgium.

— “I can understand they are frustrated with the performance but it’s not like we played three bad games, and we are qualified. So yeah, it’s a bit frustrating for us." — Belgium right back Timothy Castagne on the team's fans.