The beautiful game continues after the excitement of the Euro and Copa America! Now, 16 teams, including Argentina, France, and Spain, are gearing up to battle for gold in the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024.
However unlike these major tournaments many of the established stars who just played Euros and Copa America would not be gracing the Olympic stage. This is because the Paris Olympics fall outside FIFA’s official international match windows meaning clubs are not obligated to release players during their busy domestic seasons.
Group Stage Breakdown:
- Group A: France, USA, Guinea, New Zealand
- Group B: Argentina, Morocco, Iraq, and Ukraine
- Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, and the Dominican Republic
- Group D: Japan, Paraguay, Mali, and Israel
Paris Olympic Rising Stars to Watch:
- Alexandre Lacazette (France): The former Arsenal striker leads a talented French squad alongside Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, all coached by the legendary Thierry Henry.
- Julian Alvarez (Argentina): Fresh off his Copa America win, Alvarez aims to become one of the first players to achieve World Cup and Paris Olympic gold! He will be joined by fellow Copa America champions Nicolas Otamendi, Geronimo Rulli, and Thiago Almada.
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco): This 25-year-old is Morocco’s biggest name and a key player in their historic 2022 World Cup run, where they reached the semifinals for the first time.
- Naby Keita (Guinea): The ex-Liverpool midfielder captains Guinea who face a tough group alongside France, USA and New Zealand.
Also Read: Nicolas Otamendi to Lead Argentina’s Olympic Charge
- Fermin Lopez (Spain): A recent Euro 2024 champion with Spain, Lopez played limited minutes in the tournament, keeping him relatively fresh for the Olympics. He will be joined by fellow Euro winner Alex Baena.
Why Top Football Names Are Not Participating In Paris Olympics 24
Paris Olympic Big Names Missing Out:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): After a gruelling Copa America campaign, Messi opted out of the Olympics to focus on his club, Inter Miami.
- Kylian Mbappe (France): Fresh off his transfer to Real Madrid, Mbappe won’t be participating in his home Olympics due to Real Madrid’s decision to prioritize their season.
- Lamine Yamal (Spain): This 17-year-old wonderkid, who impressed at Euro 2024, will prioritize managing his workload for Barcelona in the upcoming La Liga season.
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt): Despite the Egyptian Olympic team’s desire, Salah opted to join Liverpool for their pre-season tour in the USA.
- Kubo Takefusa (Japan): Real Sociedad refused to release Kubo for the Olympics, even though he spent most of his time at Real Madrid on loan to other clubs.
With these big names missing the stage is set for a new generation of stars to shine. Don’t worry football fans, the Paris Olympics promises to be an exciting tournament filled with fresh talent and win the Olympic medal.
