MOSCOW (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - France's Quarter-Final humiliation at the hands of Spain at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics is no longer an open wound that is bleeding profusely.

The opportunity to do something special for Les Bleus came and went, albeit in a way that no one was accustomed to seeing from a French team that had become one of Europe's powerhouse teams the past few years.

Spain's 92-67 romp is still front and center of the thoughts of fans. The sound beating left the squad open to ridicule.

The players, including De Colo, have moved on. The slick-passing, high-scoring guard is back with CSKA Moscow, getting ready for another busy campaign in Russia and Europe.

While Boris Diaw and Nicolas Batum are still in the French set-up, De Colo knows that his role will grow in importance with Tony Parker, Florent Pietrus and Mickael Gelabale having retired this summer.

His role has already become more significant the past couple of years, something evident by his inclusion to the EuroBasket 2015 All-Star and his honor as 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Manila MVP.

De Colo says it's important to look to the future with optimism.

"I think we do everything possible to create a new momentum in the France team, as much as possible, and empower all the young talented players we have in France," said De Colo, 29, to yahoo.

When it comes to young talent, three France players that come to mind are Rudy Gobert, Joffrey Lauvergne and Evan Fournier, a player that was not added to the team after the OQT. They are players that figure to be in the team for several years.

One might think France would like to duplicate the success they have enjoyed since EuroBasket 2011, when the team reached the Final to qualify for the Olympics. De Colo says that can't necessarily be the mindset.

"I think we should build on the results and past experience, not to reproduce it, but learn from what has not worked and still collect more titles," he said.

"The next goal with the team of France is clearly to retrieve the title of European champion."

France captured the European crown in 2013 in Slovenia but had an unsuccessful title defense in 2015, despite playing as the host nation. The team they had upset the previous year in Madrid in the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, Spain, beat the French in the Semi-Finals of EuroBasket 2015 in Lille and then defeated Lithuania in the Gold Medal Game.

De Colo has been a key cog for France since he first played for the senior team in 2009.

FIBA