Men’s Football has been a part of the Summer Olympics since 1896, with the exception of 1896 and 1932. Because international football was still in its infancy at the time of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, it was not included in the schedule. FIFA eliminated football from the 1932 Los Angeles Games in an attempt to promote Henri Delaunay's idea for a professional World Championship of Football, which he proposed in 1929. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, women's football was added to the official event. FIFA has imposed several restrictions on elite players' participation in the men's event in order to avoid competing with the World Cup. There are three exceptions to the requirement that men's tournament squads be made up of players under the age of 23.
Hungary is the team that has won the most Olympic Gold medals in football. The Hungarians won gold medals at the Olympic Games in 1952, 1964, and 1968. During the early years of the Olympic football event, Great Britain won three gold medals. At 1900, 1908, and 1912 Olympics, they won gold medals. At the 1956 and 1988 Olympics, the Soviet Union won gold medals on both occasions. Argentina has two Olympic gold medals to its credit. They won gold in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Uruguay won gold in both the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games. Every World Cup champion wears stars on their jersey to reflect the number of times they have won the tournament. Despite won the World Cup twice, the Uruguayan shirt has four stars above the team crest. Two reflect Uruguay's World Cup titles in 1930 and 1950, and the other two represent gold medals won at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics, which FIFA recognizes as senior World Championships. With that in mind, we take a look at the best Olympic team of players who have won gold medals in football.
Goalkeeper: Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
Lev Yashin is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, having won an Olympic gold medal for the Soviet Union in 1956. Despite the strength of the Soviet team at the time, it was one of just two international titles he won, the other being the first European Championship in 1960. He only allowed two goals while leading the Soviert Union to their first international triumph.
Right-back: Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina)
Zabaleta has over 75 caps for the national junior teams and has been a member of the senior team since 2005. He started and played all six matches for the gold-medal-winning squad at the 2008 Summer Olympics, starting at right-back. That summer itself, he signed for Manchester City on a five-year deal.
Center-back: Marquinhos (Brazil)
Marquinhos made his full international debut for Brazil in 2013, and was a member of the 2014 Toulon Tournament-winning under-21 team. He also competed for his country in the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario the following year, winning a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics. Following that, he competed in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the 2019 Copa América, and the 2021 Copa América, winning the latter in 2019.
Center-back: Roberto Ayala (Argentina)
In 2004, Argentina's gold medal-winning captain was Roberto Ayala, who was 31 years old at the time. He had previously represented Valencia in the Champions League final and was largely regarded as one of Europe's best center-backs at the time. Throughout his career, he was regarded as one of the best central defenders of his period, standing out for his leadership and aerial skill. Ayala led Argentina to a 63-match winning streak.
Left-back: Celestine Babayaro (Nigeria)
When Celestine Babayaro played in the 1996 Olympics, he was already linked with a move to a bigger club, but the left-back made a name for himself with his persistent and audacious displays. Nigeria went on to triumph against all odds in the gold-medal final, defeating Argentina 3-2, with Babayaro scoring the game's first goal. From 1995 until 2004, Babayaro was a member of the Nigerian national football team, appearing in two Olympic teams, two World Cup squads, and three African Cup of Nations squads.
Defensive Midfielder: Javier Mascherano (Argentina)
Footballers seldom win multiple Olympic gold medals, but Javier Mascherano has two from the 2004 and 2008 competitions. For the first time, he had only recently turned 20 and was later recognized as an over-age player. Argentina won the gold medal in Beijing, making Mascherano only the second Argentine athlete to win two Olympic gold medals (after polo player Juan Nelson).
Defensive Midfielder: Pep Guardiola (Spain)
Pep Guardiola played a significant role in helping Barcelona win their first-ever European Cup and then Spain win an Olympic gold medal for the first time in 1992. The fact that the Games were held in Barcelona and the final was held in the Camp Nou Stadium further added to his experience. These were the first games in which football's new back-pass rule was used.
Right-Winger: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Barcelona did not want Lionel Messi to be released for the 2008 Olympic Games since it would mean he would miss the start of 2008/09 club season. They would not allow Argentina to call him up until Pep Guardiola personally intervened to persuade the club to release him. Lionel Messi had two goals in the campaign, one in the group stage against Ivory Coast and the other in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands.
Left-Winger: Neymar (Brazil)
In 2016, Brazil's goal was to win gold on home soil, so Neymar was chosen as an over-age player. He scored four goals on his way to gold, including the game-winning goal against Germany in the gold medal match, and he also converted the game-winning penalty in the shootout victory. The gold medal was the final piece of silverware lacking from Brazil's trophy cabinet, and Neymar was instrumental in achieving it on home soil.
Striker: Ferenc Puskas (Hungary)
Puskas, along with Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, and Nándor Hidegkuti, formed the basis of the Golden Team (Mighty Magyars), which went 32 games without losing. In 1952, they won the Olympic gold medal after defeating Yugoslavia 2–0 in the final in Helsinki. Puskás scored four goals during the Olympic tournament, including the game's first goal.
Striker: Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria)
Kanu was a member of the Nigerian football team that won Olympic gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when he scored the game-winning goal in a 4–3 semi-final victory over Brazil, his second goal of the match. Kanu's Olympic gold adds to an incredible medal haul that includes Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Cup, and Champions League titles.
Also Read | History of Football in the Olympics
