Tokyo Olympics Football – Everything you wanted to know .

July 8, 2021July 8, 2021 Shirish

The 2020 Olympic men’s football competition gets in progress on 22 July in Tokyo and selects other host urban areas in Japan. 16 nations are going after gold, silver and bronze decorations, with Spain, Germany, France and defending champs Brazil among the top picks to complete top of the platform.

Men’s football at the Olympic Games is typically limited to an Under-23 competition except for up to three ‘over-age’ major parts in every crew.

That implies most parts in every crew should be brought into the world on or since 1 January 23 years before the Olympics are because of occur.

At the point when these Games were initially planned, the cut-off for players was 1 January 1997. In any case, in the conditions of the Covid pandemic that brought about delay from 2020 to 2021, it has been concluded that the remove will continue as before.

Therefore, as a one-off, this summer’s men’s Olympic football tournament is technically an Under-24 competition as many players who were eligible last summer but would ordinarily now be too old would have been penalised through no fault of their own and missed this rare opportunity.

As an additional change in the wake of the pandemic and its effects on the football calendar over the past 18 months, squad size for these Games has been increased from the usual 18 up to a maximum of 22. But only 18 players can be selected for each individual match.

The Olympics Football for men’s Tournament will be held in six venues across six cities:

Kashima Stadium, Kashima
Miyagi Stadium, Rifu
Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama
Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo
International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama

The competition consists of two stages: a group stage with four groups of four teams, followed by a knockout stage (Quarterfinals) contested by eight teams which advanced as group winners and runners-up. The 16 teams will be drawn into four groups of four teams. The hosts Japan are automatically seeded into Pot 1 and assigned to position A1, while the remaining teams are seeded into their respective pots based on their results in the last five Olympics (more recent tournaments weighted more heavily), with bonus points awarded to confederation champions. No group can contain more than one team from each confederation.

Group A – Japan, France, Mexico and South Africa

Group B – Korea Republic, Romania, New Zealand and Honduras

Group C – Spain, Argentina, Egypt and Australia

Group D – Brazil, Germany, Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia

Here’s every confirmed squad at the Olympics this summer…

*denotes over-age player born before 1 January 1997

Group A

France

France announced a final squad but later had to issue a 21-player revised list as a number of original selections hadn’t been given permission by their club teams to participate. The 35-year-old Andre-Pierre Gignac is one of France’s over-age players who plays for Tigres UANL from Mexico along with his team-mate Florian Thauvin who is also the squad as an overage player

Goalkeepers: Stefan Bajic (Saint-Etienne), Paul Bernardoni (Angers), Dimitry Bertaud (Montpellier)

Defenders: Melvin Bard (Lyon), Anthony Caci (Strasbourg), Ismael Doucoure (Valenciennes), Pierre Kalulu (AC Milan), Clement Michelin (Lens), Timothee Pembele (PSG), Modibo Sagnan (Real Sociedad)

Midfielders: Alexis Beka Beka (Caen), Jeremy Gelin (Rennes), Enzo Le Fee (Lorient), Teji Savanier (Montpellier), Florian Thauvin* (Tigres), Lucas Tousart (Hertha)

Attackers: Andre-Pierre Gignac* (Tigres), Randal Kolo Muani (Nantes), Isaac Lihadji (Lille), Nathanael Mbuku (Reims), Arnaud Nordin (Saint-Etienne)

Japan

Japan will be playing on the home soil this summer led by the Skipper of the National Team of Japan Maya Yoshida who is also the overage player in the roster along with Wataru Endo and Hiroki Sakai

Goalkeepers: Keisuke Osako (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Kosei Tani (Shonan Bellmare), Zion Suzuki (Urawa Red Diamonds)

Defenders: Hiroki Sakai* (Urawa Red Diamonds), Yuta Nakayama (PEC Zwolle), Ko Itakura (Groningen), Maya Yoshida* (Sampdoria), Reo Hatate (Kawasaki Frontale), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Bologna), Daiki Hashioka (Sint-Truiden), Koki Machida (Kashima Antlers), Ayumu Seko (Cerezo Osaka)

Midfielders: Wataru Endo* (Stuttgart), Takefusa Kubo (Getafe), Koji Miyoshi (Royal Antwerp), Ritsu Doan (PSV Eindhoven), Kaoru Mitoma (Kawasaki Frontale), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf)

Forwards: Daizen Maeda (Yokohama F Marinos), Ayase Ueda (Kashima Antlers), Daichi Hayashi (Sagan Tosu)

Mexico

Mexico have a good recent record in the Olympics they have won the Gold medal in 2012 Olympics defeating Brazil by 2-1 in Wembley Stadium in London

Goalkeepers: Sebastian Jurado (Cruz Azul), Luis Malagon (Necaxa), Guillermo Ochoa* (America)

Defenders: Erick Aguirre (Pachuca), Alberto Angulo (Atlas), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Cesar Montes (Monterrey), Jorge Sanchez (America), Johan Vasquez (Pumas)

Midfielders: Roberto Alvarado (Cruz Azul), Ricardo Angulo (Guadalajara), Uriel Antuna (Guadalajara), Fernando Beltran (Guadalajara), Sebastian Cordova (America), Jose Joaquin Esquivel (Juarez), Diego Lainez (Real Betis), Carlos Rodriguez (Monterrey), Luis Romo* (Cruz Azul)

Forwards: Eduardo Aguirre (Santos Laguna), Henry Martin* (America), Jose Juan Macias (Guadalajara), Alexis Vega (Guadalajara)

South Africa

Lyle Foster is South Africa’s bright hope for the future who plays for the Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal

Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams* (SuperSport Utd), Mondli Mpoto (Bloemfontein Celtic), Sifiso Mlungwana (Lamontville Golden Arrows)

Defenders: Katlego Mohamme (University of Pretoria), Luke Fleurs (SuperSport Utd), Sibusiso Mabiliso (AmaZulu), Abbubaker Mobara* (Cape Town City), Thabiso Monyane (Orlando Pirates), Tercious Malepe (Mynai)

Midfielders: Teboho Mokoena (SuperSport Utd), Thabo Cele (Cova da Piedade), Nkosingiphile Ngcobo (Kaizer Chiefs), Sipho Mbule (SuperSport Utd), Goodman Mosele (Baroka), Kamohelo Mahlatsi (Moroka Swallows)

Strikers: Fagrie Lakay (Cape Town City), Luther Singh (Braga), Evidence Makgopa (Baroka), Lyle Foster (Vitoria Guimaraes), Kobamelo Kodisang (Braga)

Group B

Honduras

Honduras have become a regular Olympics qualifier

Goalkeepers: Alex Guity (Olimpia), Michael Perello (Real Espana), Bryan Ramos (Real Espana)

Defenders: Denil Maldonado (Everton Vina del Mar), Wesly Decas (Motagua), Carlos Melendez (Motagua), Cristopher Melendez (Motagua), Jonathan Nunez (Motagua), Jose Garcia (Olimpia), Elvin Oliva (Olimpia)

Midfielders: Rigoberto Rivas (Reggina), Brayan Moya* (1 de Agosto), Jorge Alvarez (Olimpia), Carlos Pineda (Olimpia), Jose Pinto (Olimpia), Edwin Rodriguez (Olimpia), Alejandro Reyes (Real Espana)

Forwards: Douglas Martinez (Real Salt Lake), Juan Carlos Obregon (Hartford Athletic), Jorge Benguche* (Olimpia), Samuel Elvir (UPNFM), Luis Palma (Vida)

New Zealand

Chris Wood has scored 24 senior international goals for New Zealand. They missed out 2016 Olympics due to an ineligible player

Goalkeepers: Michael Would (Almere City), Jamie Searle (Swansea), Alex Paulsen (Wellington Phoenix)

Defenders: Michael Boxall* (Minnesota Utd), Liberato Cacace (Sint-Truiden), Callan Elliot (Xanthi), Dane Ingham (Perth Glory), Nando Pijnaker (Rio Ave), Winston Reid* (Brentford), George Stanger (Hamilton), Sam Sutton (Wellington Phoenix)

Midfielders: Joe Bell (Viking), Clayton Lewis (Wellington Phoenix), Marko Stamenic (Copenhagen), Gianni Stensness (Central Coast Mariners), Ben Old (Wellington Phoenix)

Forwards: Joe Champness (Newcastle Jets), Elijah Just (Helsingor), Callum McCowatt (Helsingor), Ben Waine (Wellington Phoenix), Chris Wood* (Burnley), Matthew Garbett (Falkenberg)

Romania

Romania have been criticised back home over their Olympic selection. Their last appearance at the Olympics football tournament was on 1964 Olympics in Tokyo

Goalkeepers: Mihai Aioani (Farul Constanta), Mihai Popa (Astra Giurgiu), Stefan Tarnovanu (FCSB)

Defenders: Radu Boboc (Farul Constanta), Andrei Chindris (Botosani), Virgil Ghita (Farul Constanta), Ricardo Grigore (Dinamo Bucharest), Alex Pascanu (Ponferradina), Andrei Ratiu (Villarreal) Florin Stefan* (Sepsi)

Midfielders: Tudor Balata (Brighton), Andrei Ciobanu (Farul Constanta), Alex Dobre (Dijon), Marco Dulca (Chindia Targoviste), Ion Gheorghe (Voluntari), Valentin Gheorghe (Astra Giurgiu), Marius Marin (Pisa), Dragos Nedelcu (FCSB)

Forwards: George Ganeca (Farul Constanta), Andrei Sintean (Hermannstadt)

Korea Republic

South Korea’s Lee Kang-in plays club football in La Liga. In 2012 they won the Bronze medal beating Japan by 3-1

Goalkeepers: Song Bum-keun (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Ahn Joon-soo (Busan Il Park), An Chan-gi (Suwon Samsung Bluewings)

Defenders: Lee You-hyeon (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Jeong Tae-wook (Deagu), Kang Yoon-sung (Jeju Utd), Lee Sang-min (Seoul E-Land), Kim Jae-woo (Daegu), Kim Jin-ya (FC Seoul), Seol Young-woo (Ulsan Hyundai), Kim Min-jae* (Beijing Guoan)

Midfielders: Kim Jin-kyu (Busan Il Park), Jeong Seung-won (Daegu), Kim Dong-hyun (Gangwon), Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan Hyundai), Won Du-jae (Ulsan Hyundai), Lee Kang-in (Valencia)

Forwards: Lee Dong-jun (Ulsan Hyundai), Um Won-sang (Gwangju), Song Min-kyu (Pohang Steelers), Kwon Chang-hoon* (Suwon Samsung Bluewings), Hwang Ui-jo* (Bordeaux)

Group C

Argentina

Argentina have been very successful in Olympic football. They won the Gold Medal in 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China under the Big Players like Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria etc.

Goalkeepers: Joaquin Blazquez (Talleres), Lautaro Morales (Lanus), Jeremias Ledesma* (Rosario Central)

Defenders: Hernan de la Fuente (Velez Sarsfield), Marcelo Herrera (San Lorenzo), Nehuen Perez (Atletico Madrid), Leonel Mosevich (Argentinos Juniors), Facundo Medina (Lens), Nazareno Colombo (Estudiantes), Claudio Bravo (Portland Timbers)

Midfielders: Fausto Vera (Argentinos Juniors), Santiago Colombatto (Leon), Tomas Belmonte (Lanus), Martin Payero (Banfield), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton), Ezequiel Barco (Atlanta Utd), Thiago Almada (Velez Sarsfield)

Forwards: Carlos Valenzeula (Famalicao), Pedro De la Vega (Lanus), Agustin Urzi (Banfield), Adolfo Gaich (Benevento), Ezequiel Ponce (Spartak Moscow)

Australia

Australia’s Daniel Arzani went to the 2018 World Cup

Goalkeepers: Tom Glover (Melbourne City), Ashley Maynard-Brewer (Charlton), Jordan Holmes (Ebbsfleet)

Defenders: Nathaniel Atkinson (Melbourne City), Thomas Deng (Urawa Red Diamonds), Joel King (Sydney FC), Kyle Rowles (Central Coast Mariners), Harry Souttar (Stoke), Jay Rich-Baghuelou (Crystal Palace)

Midfielders: Keanu Baccus (Western Sydney Wanderers), Denis Genreau (Macarthur FC), Riley McGree (Birmingham), Connor Metcalfe (Melbourne City), Dylan Pierias (Western Utd), Caleb Watts (Southampton), Cameron Devlin (Wellington Phoenix), Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)

Forwards: Daniel Arzani (AGF), Nicholas D’Agostino (Perth Glory), Mitchel Duke* (Western Sydney Wanderers), Reno Piscopo (Wellington Phoenix), Lachlan Wales (Western Utd)

Egypt

Ex-Premier League winger Ramadan Sobhi is in the Egypt squad

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy* (Al Ahly), Mohamed Souby (Al Ittihad), Mahmoud Gad (ENPPI)

Defenders: Ahmed Hegazi* (Al-Ittihad), Mahmoud Hamdy* (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdel Salam (Zamalek), Osama Galal (Pyramids), Ahmed Ramadan (Al Ahly), Karim El-Eraky (Al Masry), Karim Fouad (ENPPI), Ahmed Abou El Fotouh (Zamalek)

Midfielders: Akram Tawfik (Al Ahly), Amar Hamdy (Al Ittihad), Nasser Maher (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Zamalek)

Forwards: Ramadan Sobhi (Pyramids), Ibrahim Adel (Pyramids), Abdel Rahman Madgy (Ismaily), Taher Mohmed (Al Ahly), Salah Mohsen (Al Ahly), Nasser Mansi (Tala’ea El Gaish), Ahmed Yasser (Ceramica Cleopatra)

Spain

Spain have surprisingly named a number of players who have already played at Euro 2020 this summer, including Barcelona midfielder Pedri.

Goalkeepers: Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), Alvaro Fernandez (Huesca), Alex Dominguez (Las Palmas)

Defenders: Eric Garcia (Barcelona), Oscar Mingueza (Barcelona), Oscar Gil (Espanyol), Juan Miranda (Real Betis), Marc Cucurella (Getafe), Jesus Vallejo (Real Madrid), Pau Torres (Villarreal)

Midfielders: Jon Moncayola (Osasuna), Pedri (Barcelona), Dani Ceballos* (Real Madrid), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Mikel Merino* (Real Sociedad), Carlos Soler (Valencia)

Forwards: Javi Puado (Espanyol), Marco Asensio* (Real Madrid), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Bryan Gil (Sevilla), Rafa Mir (Wolves), Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig)

Group D

Brazil

Dani Alves is seeking to win an Olympic medal at 38 and he is one of the oldest players in the Olympics overage roster and also they are the defending champions beating Germany in 2016 in the Penalty shootout

Goalkeepers: Brenno (Gremio), Santos* (Athletico Paranaense), Lucao (Vasco da Gama)

Defenders: Nino (Fluminense), Gabriel (Arsenal), Guilherme Arana (Atletico Mineiro), Gabriel Menino (Palmeiras), Dani Alves* (Sao Paulo), Diego Carlos* (Sevilla), Bruno Fuchs (CSKA Moscow), Abner Vinicius (Athletico Paranaense)

Midfielders: Matheus Henrique (Gremio), Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Claudinho (Red Bull Bragantino), Reinier (Borussia Dortmund), Douglas Augusto (PAOK)

Forwards: Paulinho (Bayer Leverkusen), Matheus Cunha (Hertha), Antony (Ajax), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Richarlison (Everton)

Germany

Germany were the runners-up in 2016 Olympics after losing to Brazil in the Penalty shootout. Former senior international Max Kruse is the oldest member of Germany’s squad

Goalkeepers: Svend Brodersen (St Pauli), Florian Muller (Stuttgart), Luca Plogmann (Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Amos Pieper (Arminia Bielefeld), David Raum (Hoffenheim), Jordan Torunarigha (Hertha), Felix Uduokhai (Augsburg), Josha Vagnoman (Hamburg)

Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri* (Bayer Leverkusen), Maximilian Arnold* (Wolfsburg), Niklas Dorsch (Gent), Ismail Jakobs (Koln), Eduard Lowen (Bochum), Arne Maier (Hertha), Anton Stach (Greuther Furth)

Forwards: Max Kruse* (Union Berlin), Marco Richter (Augsburg), Cedric Teuchert (Union Berlin)

Ivory Coast

Man Utd’s Eric Bailly is an over-age player for Ivory Coast.

Goalkeepers: Eliezer Ira Tape (San Pedro), Oupoh Maxime Nagoli (SOL), Nicolas Tie (Vitoria Guimaraes)

Defenders: Koffi Kouao (Vizela), Zie Ouattara (Vitoria Guimaraes), Wilfried Singo (Torino), Eric Bailly* (Man Utd), Kouadio-Yves Dabila (Lille), Ismael Diallo (Ajaccio), Silas Gnaka (KAS Eupen)

Midfielders: Cheick Timite (Amiens), Christ Eboue (Genk), Idrissa Doumbia (Sporting CP), Franck Kessie* (AC Milan), Max Gradel* (Sivasspor), Youssouf Dao (Sparta Prague).

Forwards: Amad Diallo (Man Utd), Christian Kouame (Fiorentina), Vakoun Bayo (Celtic), Mory Keita (Ursl Vise), Kader Keita (KVC Westerlo), Aboubakar Doumbia (Maccabi Nitanya)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia are playing football at the Olympics for the first time since 1996 in Atlanta, USA and also Al-Hilal, senior Saudi national team trio Salem Al-Dawsari, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Salman Al-Faraj selected as overage players

Goalkeepers: Zaid Al-Bawardi (Al-Shabab), Mohammed Al-Rubaie (Al-Ahli), Amin Burkhari (Al-Ain)

Defenders: Saud Abdulhamid (Al-Ittihad), Abdulelah Al-Amri (Al-Nassr), Khalifah Al-Dawsari (Al-Qadsiah), Yasser Al-Shahrani* (Al-Hilal), Hamad Al-Yami (Al-Qadsiah), Abdullah Hassoun (Al-Ahli), Abdulbasit Hindi (Al-Ahli)

Midfielders: Turki Al-Ammar (Al-Shabab), Salem Al-Dawsari* (Al-Hilal), Salman Al-Faraj* (Al-Hilal), Khalid Al-Ghannam (Al-Nassr), Ali Al-Hassan (Al-Nassr), Ayman Al-Khulaif (Al-Wehda), Sami Al-Najei (Al-Nassr), Nasser Al-Omran (Al-Shabab), Mukhtar Ali (Al-Nassr), Abdulrahman Ghareeb (Al-Ahli), Ayman Yahya (Al-Nassr)

Forwards: Abdullah Al-Hamdan (Al-Shabab)

By Prathamesh Masurekar