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Men's Football at the 2020 Olympics Begins Today!
But before that, let's address the fact that international appearances are a special moment in any player's career. The feeling of donning the national jersey before stepping on the field with the whole nation's hopes upon them seems to be unmatchable.
No matter what the stage is, it is often considered as the "highlight reel". Speaking of which, young international stars around the world are now prepping themselves for the upcoming Olympics 2020.
FIFA have altered their rules this term following the COVID-19 pandemic to raise the age limit to under-24 from 23. The rules to allow three overage players in the squad remain the same though.
After finding the exit door in the round of 16 of EURO 2020, France have their hopes bestowed upon their lethal young guns this term at the Olympics. Despite being one of the heavy-weights in every international competition, Les Bleus have just one gold medal registered under their name.
With Sylvain Ripoll, the man who has proven his mettle with various youth teams, at the helm, France enter the Olympics 2020 as one of the favorites to grab the gold medal.
France submitted their 21-man list at the start of this month.
Top 5 French footballers at the Tokyo Olympics
#5 Teji Savanier
Teji Savanier fills one of the three over-age slots for his nation who would be traveling to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics.
The Montpellier-born midfielder made headlines in 2019, when Savanier led his team, Nîmes to finish in ninth place in the French League. With fourteen assists (the most in 2018-19 Ligue 1 season) that term, Teji Savanier surpassed some big names.
Teji Savanier returned to his boyhood club for a club-record fee of €10 million (estimated) in July 2019. The 29-year-old who has had a handful of decent performances at club level in recent years, has made the cut to Sylvain Ripoll's roster.
It would be exciting to watch this man represent his country at the Olympics in his first ever major international tournament.
#4 Pierre Kalulu
The 21-year-old versatile player moved to Serie A last year to cement himself as one of the most formidable defenders of the modern era.
The Lyon-born stopper got into his manager Stefano Pioli's good books in the first year itself. After coming in as a substitute in the 5th minute of AC Milan's game versus Parma at the San Siro, he went onto play a total of 13 games for the Serie A outfit the previous season.
Pierre Kalulu exhibited his prowess in the French jersey in various junior level competitions. The 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship has been Kalulu's biggest international stage so far.
The AC Milan defender is expected to start every game for France at the Tokyo Olympics this term.
#3 Eduardo Camavinga
Another top-liner to watch for in the Olympics!
The Rennes man, whose story is nothing less than a fairytale, has been under the spotlight for quite some time now.
Eduardo Camavinga is considered to be the next big thing in Europe's top five leagues. He is also a hot property in the transfer market this year with EPL giants Manchester United chasing after him.
The youngest ever Rennes starlet came up the ranks to establish himself as a prominent member of the squad. He earned the national call-up for France for the UEFA Nation's League at the tender age of seventeen. He is also one of the youngest ever players to feature for Leus Blues on an international stage.
This prodigy is surely a player to watch out for in the 2020 Olympics.
#2 André-Pierre Gignac
France, who are placed alongside Japan, Mexico and South Africa in Group A of Olympics 2020 Men's Football, enter the competition with a talent-rich squad and an experienced captain — André-Pierre Gignac by their side.
Gignac has hit the purple patch of his career for quite some time now. After arriving in Mexico to don the Tigres jersey, Gignac went on to become their MVP within a short span of five years.
The all-time top-scorer for Tigres was also the reason behind the Mexican club's 2020 CONCACAF Champions League triumph. Even though André-Pierre Gignac has made just 36 appearances in the French outfit, he is expected to lead the less experienced but talented youngsters past the finishing line at the Tokyo Olympics.
#1 Florian Thauvin
Florian Thauvin is the third over-age player in this year's France U-24 men's team for the 2020 Olympics alongside his Tigres and Mersaille teammate André-Pierre Gignac.
Despite being included in Didier Deschamps' 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup, the former Mersaille man is still awaiting an opportunity to feature for his nation full-time. The 2020 Olympics is expected to be that stage for Thauvin.
The 28-year-old's experience in playing from the flanks could come in handy for French boss Sylvain Ripoll. Florian is tipped to be a regular starter for France at the Olympics and his link-up with former Mersaille and current Tigres teammate André-Pierre Gignac could be crucial for Les Bleus.
This wraps up our list of the top 5 French players to look out for at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Let's wait and see how the French team would fare in the competition.
