Teams are gearing up to vie for gold in the men's soccer tournament at the Olympics in Paris this summer - with a host of household names set to represent their countries at the Games .
The event will see rosters made up mostly of under-23 players from nations from around the world descend on host cities dotted around France over the course of July 24 through to August 10. The sport has a long history at the Olympics , having been contested at every edition except for 1896 and 1932.
Since the first tournament at the Games in Paris back in 1900, there have been 19 winners in total, with Hungary and Great Britain leading the way with three triumphs each. Neither of those countries will be represented in France this time out, though, with most recent victors Brazil also not qualifying this time around.
READ MORE: France bans Russian and Belarusian citizens from Olympics over foreign interference suspicions
READ MORE: Paris Olympics: 95 percent of venues exceed World Health Organization's pollution limits
While there is no age limit on who can take part in the tournament, there are restrictions when it comes to players over the age of 23, with only three allowed in a squad of 18 per country. The rest of the roster will be filled with players aged 23 and under, with this to help differentiate the tournament from the FIFA World Cup .
Below is the Mirror US has put together a guide to the men's soccer event...
What teams are taking part in the Olympics men's soccer event?
The following teams will be taking part in the Olympics men's soccer tournament (sorted into their respective groups):
Group A : France, United States, Guinea, New Zealand
Group B : Argentina, Morocco, Ukraine, Iraq
Group C : Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, Dominican Republic
Group D : Japan, Paraguay, Mali, Israel
Follow us on X for the be st and latest in sports news
What big names are taking part in the tournament?
The tournament will see several household names aiming to earn the ultimate prize of the gold medal for their respective countries. When it comes to Argentina, their World Cup-winning stars Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi and Thiago Almada will likely attract a lot of attention from fans.
Meanwhile, France also boast the Bayern Munich attacker Michael Olise, who is set to represent the country after impressing for previous club Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Former Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette also will represent the hosts, who will be led by the legendary former Les Blues striker Thierry Henry at the tournament.
Likewise, Fermin Lopez and will also represent Spain at the Olympics, fresh from forming part of the squad which triumphed at Euro 2024. Ex-Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita will also be taking part in the event, representing his home country of Guinea.
What is the format for the Olympics men's soccer event?
In total, 16 teams made up of 18 players will take part in the tournament, with the the nations separated into four groups - as two nations will progress from each group. From there, a knockout format will ensue starting with a quarter-final and ending with the final, which will take place at Paris Saint-Germain's Parc des Princes in the French capital.
The groups will take place between July 24-30, with the knockouts due to begin with the quarterfinals on August 2, before the semifinals on August 5. From there, the medals will be decided with the bronze medal match firstly on August 8 before the gold medal match on August 9.
Where are the host stadiums for the tournament?
The following stadiums will host games at the Olympics men's soccer tournament this summer:
- Bordeaux Stadium, Bordeaux
- Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, Saint-Etienne
- La Beaujoire Stadium, Nantes
- Lyon Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, Lyon
- Marseille Stadium, Marseille
- Nice Stadium, Nice
- Parc des Princes, Paris
Most Popular
Comments / 0