Sebastian Prieto will know what to expect when he plays for Great Britain in their first ever Olympic match.

Like his team mates, the experienced right winger has been well briefed on all five of the Brits' opponents in the group stages.

But he will have extra insight - because he is French as well as British.

Prieto was born and brought up in Monaco, soon after his parent had moved from south London.

As a kid he played football for AS Monaco and took up handball at school.

But when term time ended he would be over to Sussex to spend holidays with his uncle, aunt and cousins in Crowborough.

Prieto lived in Crowborough for five months when he started a career in insurance before a successful trial for the Great Britjan handball squad changed his life.

It all comes full circle in the Copper Box on Sunday - when he will quite easily be able to sing both national anthems.

The 25-year-old said: “My dad is French, my mum is English and I would be happy to play for either country.

“Every year we came over for holidays at Christmas the summer so it was usually twice a year minimum.

“I was brought up in France but I have always felt it was nice to be a bit different.

“I support England and Great Britain in sport.

“In a way, I always feel like I'm the stranger.

“In France I'm the English boy and in England I'm the Frenchie.”

Handball is a far bigger sport in France than it is on these shores and their national team are the best on the world.

Prieto said: “I played football for Monaco and had the chance to take it further and chose not to.

“I just didn't think it was for me.

“In France you get to try a lot of sports and handball is one of the main ones.

“The first time I really remember playing handball was when I was nine.

“We played a big tournament and won it and that was the first time I really enjoyed handball.”

Now comes the big one against the country of his birth.

The Brits might just feel a bit like their basketball counterparts did against the USA in Manchester recently.

But there are four big games to follow which will dictate whether GB reach their target of a place in the last eight.

Prieto does not know any of the French side personally but said: “They will be a huge challenge.

“They have won four of the last five major competitions.

“But we need to show British handball in a good light.

“France are an old team. Their average age is around 30.

“But, with two groups of six, it means four in each group go through to the quarter-finals.

“It's possible even one win could send you through depending on results.”