![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Paris-masked-man-e1722028442215.jpeg?width=600)
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Paris-masked-man-e1722028442215.jpeg?width=600)
As athletes made it to Paris to leave their mark, two masked figures stole the limelight. The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony witnessed a mysterious torchbearer running across rooftops before a mystical rider galloped down the Seine on a horse to deliver the Olympic flag!
What’s interesting is that the masked torchbearer carried the torch through some historical places in Paris. This included the Louvre Museum. As the hooded person entity passes the halls, the artistic masterpieces turn their gaze towards him. However, his journey began when Zinedine Zidane got stuck in the subway and passed the torch to a group of children.
The children, in turn, trusted the mysterious figure when he appeared in front of them rowing a boat.
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Le porteur de la Flamme passe devant plusieurs chefs-d’œuvre du @MuseeLouvre qui le suivent du regard. Dans les galeries de tableaux, les œuvres prennent vie, elles sortent de leur cadre prêtes pour admirer les athlètes du monde entier qui défilent devant eux 🙌
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The torchbearer… pic.twitter.com/hJA8013NVX— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) July 26, 2024
Polls of the day
Poll 1 of 5
Who do you think the masked man at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony is?
A famous athlete
An undercover celebrity
A government official
Just a random person
Do you think Rafael Nadal should be the one to hold the Olympic torch in Paris?
Absolutely
No way
Maybe, but there are better choices
Only if he wins another Grand Slam
Whats your Perspective on:
Who do you think the masked man at the Paris Olympics really is? Share your wildest theories!
Have an interesting take?
Do you think Noah Lyles will dominate the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Absolutely
No way
Too early to tell
He'll face tough competition
Do you think Stephen Curry's strategy will lead Team USA to Olympic gold?
Absolutely
No way
Maybe, if they execute well
Only time will tell
He was even seen zip-lining across the city with the torch in one hand. At the end of this majestic relay, he passed the torch back to Zidane. However, his identity was never revealed.
Now while fans speculated names like Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, and many more, there is no way of confirming it. But we do have some interesting theories to share!
What’s your perspective on:
Who do you think the masked man at the Paris Olympics really is? Share your wildest theories!
Have an interesting take?
No name revealed? No problem! Fans use their imagination…
Fans took to X to share their hilarious reactions. One user wrote, “Just saw someone say maybe the masked man is mbappé like imagine.” Well, perhaps the man’s agility led some to assume that it could be the 25-year-old Real Madrid footballer! However, another fan cheekily teased, “Joe Biden is believed to be the masked man.“
Now, here’s a theory many people have been considering. Could this have been a carefully planned promotion for the video game Assassin’s Creed? After all, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will launch on November 15, 2024. The game’s official X account tweeted during the opening ceremony and created an intriguing narrative. “Keep an eye on Paris’ rooftops. Arno might just be watching from above.”
Catching onto this reference, one fan mentioned, “The masked man carrying the Olympic torch has been identified as Ezio Auditore.”
Some X users were also influenced by the world of cinema. “This mystery person in a mask in Tom Cruise right? Who else is running across rooftops with the Olympic Torch #ParisOlympics.”
Oh, well! They aren’t wrong. Cruise running and jumping on rooftops is something everyone is familiar with. Think about ‘Mission Impossible’ and ‘Knight and Day’.
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While assumptions continued to flow in, a fan was happy to voice an animatic wish! They wrote, “I just hope the mystery masked man is Remy the mouse from Ratatouille.” Hey, Remy is from Paris!
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/8e97f6b_fw1-olympics-racewalking-0408-11-2.jpg?width=150&blur=15)
via Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Olympic rings to celebrate the IOC official announcement that Paris won the 2024 Olympic bid are seen in front of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero square in Paris, France, September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
However, there is another theory that people are looking at. Could the mysterious, hooded torchbearer be Fantomas? He is a French character from a series of novels. Well, we won’t know until the organizing committee reveals further details.
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Regardless, fans kept speculating and one X user mentioned, “David Guetta has to be the masked man who’s gonna light up the rings.” The French DJ and music producer is a world-renowned star, known for his extraordinary work in the field.
While we do not know who was behind the mask of the flagbearer, we do know more about the mystical rider who galloped on his metal horse. It was Floriane Issert, a non-commissioned officer in the Gendarmerie Nationale. She featured on the last leg of the ceremony as it neared the Trocadero.
Debate
Who do you think the masked man at the Paris Olympics really is? Share your wildest theories!