Olympic Showdown: Top 5 Footballers Taking Part in the Paris Games
As the dust settles on the Euro and Copa America, the football world is gearing up for the next big competition – the Paris Olympics. 16 teams, including Argentina, France, and Spain, will battle it out for a podium finish. While some big names might be missing from the action, there are still plenty of stars to get excited about.
Group Stage Action
The 16 teams have been divided into four groups, with some mouth-watering matchups on the horizon. Group A features hosts France, USA, Guinea, and New Zealand, while Group B boasts Argentina, Morocco, Iraq, and Ukraine. Group C has Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, and Dominican Republic, and Group D is comprised of Japan, Paraguay, Mali, and Israel.
Top 5 Footballers Taking Part in the Olympics
- Alexandre Lacazette (France): The former Arsenal striker will lead the charge for Les Bleus, alongside talents like Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta, and under the guidance of Thierry Henry.
- Julian Alvarez (Argentina): Fresh from winning the Copa America, Alvarez will look to become one of the first male players to win the World Cup and Olympics in the same calendar year. He’ll be joined by Nicolas Otamendi, Geronimo Rulli, and Thiago Almada.
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco): The 25-year-old is one of the main architects of Morocco’s fairytale run in the 2022 World Cup, and he’ll be a key player for the Atlas Lions in the Olympics.
- Naby Keita (Guinea): The former Liverpool midfielder will captain Guinea, but he’ll face stiff competition from France and the USA in Group A.
- Fermin Lopez (Spain): The 21-year-old won the Euro 2024 with Spain and will look to add Olympic gold to his trophy cabinet, alongside Alex Baena.
Top 5 Footballers Not Taking Part in the Olympics
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): Messi will miss the Olympics due to his grueling Copa America campaign, as well as his club commitments with Inter Miami.
- Kylian Mbappe (France): Mbappe recently joined Real Madrid and will skip the Olympics to focus on his club duties.
- Lamine Yamal (Spain): The 17-year-old sensation will opt out of the Olympics to manage his workload ahead of the new La Liga season.
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt): Salah will join up with Liverpool for pre-season duties in the USA, ruling him out of the Olympics.
- Kubo Takefusa (Japan): Real Sociedad refused to release Kubo for the Olympics, citing the event’s timing outside of FIFA’s scheduled international match windows.
Stay Tuned for More Olympic Action
While some big names might be missing from the action, there’s still plenty to get excited about in the Paris Olympics. From Group A’s mouth-watering matchups to the individual talents taking part, it’s going to be a thrilling tournament. Follow us on all social media platforms for more updates, analysis, and opinion pieces on the biggest events in football!