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The men's football competition at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 contains a plethora of top teams like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain and France, to name a few.
European Championship winners Italy are conspicuous by their absence at the quadrennial competition after their U-21 team crashed out in the group stage of the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Nevertheless, there are many quality players featuring in the football competition at the Tokyo Olympics, despite only three players over the age of 24 allowed per team.
On that note, here's a look at the ten most valuable players at the Tokyo Olympics:
#10 Douglas Luiz (Brazil) - €35 million
Douglas Luiz may be only 23, but he has already become a mainstay at Aston Villa during his two seasons at the club.
Bought by Villa from Manchester City for €16.8 million, Luiz has played 76 games for the Villans, 69 of them being in the Premier League, scoring three goals and assisting five.
The 23-year-old was also in the Brazil squad at Copa America 2021, but played only two games in the tournament. Luiz has made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics after he was contentiously sent off in Brazil's goalless draw with Cote d'Ivoire.
The defensive midfielder received his marching orders after a VAR check despite making minimal contact with Youssouf Dao. Nevertheless, despite their numerical inferiority, Brazil hung on for a draw and will now take on Saudi Arabia in their final group-stage game in the Tokyo Olympics football competition on Wednesday.
#9 Mikel Merino (Spain) - €40 million
Mikel Merino made his top-flight debut with Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016 after impressing in the second division with Osasuna.
Despite his passing prowess and ability to read the game, the central midfielder struggled to break into the BvB team. After a season with Newcastle United in the Premier League, Merino landed at La Liga club Real Sociedad, where he has found his footing.
Merino has made 91 of his 110 outings with Sociedad in La Liga. The 25-year-old won the delayed 2019-20 Copa Del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao earlier this year, where he impressed with his aerial prowess.
Moreno, a former U-19 and U-21 European champion, is one of the most experienced players in the Spain team at the Tokyo Olympics.
#8 Carlos Soler (Spain) - €40 million
Carlos Soler has made close to 200 appearances in all competitions since making his Valencia debut in the summer of 2016. During this period, the central midfielder has had a hand in nearly 50 goals, scoring 23 and assisting 26.
Soler, who won the 2018-19 Copa Del Rey with Valencia, has played both games for Spain at the Tokyo Olympics - the goalless draw against Egypt and the 1-0 win over Austria.
Following Valencia's struggles both on and off the field last season, Soler is one of several players who could exit the club this summer. The 24-year-old, thanks to his ability on the ball, has been strongly linked with Barcelona, especially after the Blaugrana's failure to land Georginio Wijnaldum.
However, it remains to be seen if Soler, who has a release clause of €150 million and is contracted with Valencia till 2023, leaves his boyhood club this summer.
#7 Diego Carlos (Brazil) - €45 million
Diego Carlos has been a mainstay at Sevilla since joining the La Liga club two years ago.
The 28-year-old, who plays as a centre-back, won the Europa League with Sevilla last season and has racked up close to 100 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Carlos is yet to make his senior debut for Brazil, but has played both matches for the Selecao at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Nevertheless, Liverpool and Real Madrid are two 'big' clubs interested in the services of Carlos, who has formed a flourishing partnership with Jules Kounde at the heart of the Sevilla defense.
With both European giants seeking defensive reinforcements this summer, it remains to be seen where Carlos lands up ahead of the start of the new season.
#6 Pau Torres (Spain) - €50 million
Pau Torres is one of six Spanish players at the Tokyo Olympics who featured at Euro 2020, where La Furia Roja lost to eventual winners Italy in a penalty shootout.
A standout performer for Villareal last season, the 24-year-old helped his team beat Manchester United in the Europa League final. A few weeks later, Torres played all six games for Spain at Euro 2020, producing two assists.
A transfer target for both Real Madrid and Manchester United, Torres has played both games Spain have played at the Tokyo Olympics thus far.
#5 Dani Olmo (Spain) - €50 million
Dani Olmo was a standout player for Spain at Euro 2020, with the attacking midfielder registering three assists during his team's run to the last four.
The 24-year-old, who plies his trade at RB Leipzig, has racked up 19 goal contributions (eight goals and 11 assists) in 44 Bundesliga games, with ten of these assists coming last season.
Considering his impressive exploits at Leipzig, La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are reportedly interested in the player. Interestingly, Olmo was allowed to leave Barcelona as a 16-year-old and join Dinamo Zagreb.
The 23-year-old, unsurprisingly, has played both games for Spain at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
#4 Franck Kessie - €50 million
Franck Kessie has been one of the most impressive players for Serie A giants AC Milan.
The 24-year-old has amassed almost 50 goal contributions (30 goals and 15 assists) in over 180 appearances for the Rossoneri in all competitions. Kessie scored 13 goals and assisted six in the Serie A last season to help Milan finish behind winners Internazionale. Interestingly, 11 of his goals came from the spot, a tally that was bettered by only five teams across Europe's top-five leagues.
One of the best young midfielders in the game, Kessie is being pursued by a plethora of top clubs across the continent, including Arsenal. The midfielder scored in Cote d'Ivoire's 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
#3 Richarlison - €55 million
After a lukewarm campaign at Copa America 2021, Richarlison has lit up the football competition at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics with a sumptuous hat-trick in Brazil's 4-2 win over Germany.
In the process, the Brazilian recorded the first-ever hat-trick at the quadrennial competition by a Premier League player.
The 24-year-old centre-forward, who plies his trade at Everton, has scored 42 goals in over 100 games for the English club. Richarlison has been linked with a move to Real Madrid following Carlo Ancelotti's arrival at the club's helm this summer.
However, with the La Liga giants seemingly strapped for cash, it remains to be seen if they will be able to meet Everton's valuation of Richarlison.
#2 Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) - €70 million
Mikel Oyarzabal is one of the hottest young players in the game at the moment. The 24-year-old, who scored a goal in Spain's run to the Euro 2020 semi-final, netted his team's winner against Australia in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
The winger is coming off a dazzling campaign with Real Sociedad, scoring 13 goals and assisting ten in 43 games across competitions.
Owing to his versatility and ability on the ball, Oyarzabal is a transfer target for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, who are reportedly ready to meet Real Sociedad's €75 million valuation of the winger. City's Premier League rivals, Arsenal, are also apparently interested in the player.
#1 Pedri (Spain) - €80 million
Pedri is arguably the best teenager capable of playing multiple positions for his team in a game at the moment. The Barcelona midfielder belied his 18 years of age to produce a dazzling performance against eventual Euro 2020 champions Italy in the semi-finals.
Earlier, the youngster became a mainstay at Barcelona under new manager Ronald Koeman last season, playing a whopping 52 games in all competitions and missing only one La Liga game.
Pedri, who scored four goals and assisted six last season, has drawn comparisons with Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta from his Spain manager Luis Enrique, who has said about the teenager:
“Has anyone noticed what an 18-year-old boy named Pedri has done in the Euros? Not even don Andres Iniesta has done it. What Pedri has done in these Euros I have never seen with an 18-year-old, not from anyone in the Euros, World Cups, Olympic games, it’s something away from all logic. I’m delighted that many more are aboard the Pedri bandwagon.”
