Brazil won a second Olympic gold medal in football at Tokyo 2020, but it is the South American country that is expected to dominate at Paris 2024.
Argentina has a great current, long-term and highly experienced capacity in its team, which will be led by former foreign midfielder Javier Mascherano.
Last time out, the Brazilians beat Spain in the final, while Mexico took bronze ahead of host nation Japan.
This edition of the men’s soccer tournament begins on July 24, two days before the official opening of the Olympic Games. Here are our five most sensible players to watch:
The call of the star of the tour is Manchester City striker Álvarez.
The 22-year-old was in top form last season for Pep Guardiola’s side, helping them win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title.
That all came after the Cityzens lifted five trophies in 2023 – in Alvarez’s first season – by completing the treble of the league, FA Cup and Champions League before claiming the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Born in Calchin, province of Córdoba, Álvarez arrived at City in 2022 from River Plate, where his performances caught the attention of the European elite but also of the coach of the Argentine 2020 Olympic team, who decided on him for the Tokyo Games .
Alvarez just flew to France for the Olympics after winning the Copa America in Argentina on July 14; He would like nothing more than to add an Olympic gold medal to his long list of achievements.
A big cash move from Crystal Palace of the English Premier League to German giants Bayern Munich helped put Olise on the world stage.
The 22-year-old striker was born in London, England, where Arsenal discovered his talent at the age of nine.
Olise then spent the next 8 years in the youth ranks of the Gunners, Chelsea and Manchester City before Reading, then in the second division of English football, presented him with his first contract.
The failure of the big three to retain Olise became evident with his move to Palace in 2021, where he became an instant hit and even appeared as a substitute for Wilfried Zaha, when the Ivory Coast foreigner moved to Galatasaray in Turkey for the start of the season. season 2023.
Confirmation of Zaha’s point came with his $65 million move to Bayern in July.
Olise was born to a Nigerian father and a French-Algerian mother, hence her decision to establish France.
The call-up that can usurp all the others in the Olympic Games may be that of Thiago Almada.
While expectations will fall on the shoulders of compatriot and Premier League star Alvarez, Almada has an inventory in condition to take off.
The 23-year-old returned to playing club football on Brazil’s most sensible flight with Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas following a surprise $21 million transfer from US Major League Soccer (MLS) side Atlanta United The deal could be successful at up to $30. million in additional payments.
Almada is expected to sign for French side Lyon, which has the same capital as Botafogo, after he made no secret of his preference for moving from the American continent to European football.
The attacking midfielder won the MLS Breakthrough Player of the Year award in 2022 after leaving his hometown Argentina.
The same year, he became the first active MLS player to win the World Cup when Argentina beat France in the final in Qatar.
France had hoped their team would be honoured through talisman Antoine Griezmann to lead the line, but in Crystal Palace user Jean-Philippe Mateta, they have a competent replacement.
With Olise already one of the big names, the two will share a bond from their time together in the Premier League.
Mateta, who joined Palace in 2022 from French club Mainz, has represented France at youth level and has yet to play for the senior team.
The 27-year-old, who also has Congolese nationality, has scored 22 Premier League goals in 41 starts since moving permanently to Selhurst Park.
One of the most unexpected selections among the Olympic teams is World Cup semi-finalist Achraf Hakimi.
The defender helped the Atlas Lions qualify for the semifinals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, making history as the first African country to triumph in the semifinal of the world competition. Morocco’s run also marked the first time they managed to reach the quarter-finals.
At 25, Hakimi has already enjoyed an illustrious club career, in his hometown with Real Madrid.
After two loan spells at Borussia Dortmund in Germany, the full-back joined Inter Milan in Italy before travelling to France in 2021 with his current club Paris Saint-Germain.
You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s Paris 2024 Olympics tournament engagement page with all the news and features, as well as event preparation and live text watching on decided football, basketball, tennis and boxing matches.