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After being pushed back a year from their planned commencement date, Olympics 2021 finally kicked off in emphatic fashion on the 23rd of July, 2021. At the time of writing, Japan and USA have accumulated the most number of gold medals - tied at 8, putting them on the top of the ladder for gold. China, who were on top at the end of Day 3, has now been overtaken by the US in terms of the aggregate medal tally. China has 18 to USA's 19.
With some preliminary rounds having started two days prior to the official opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, the men's football event got underway on July 22nd with a goalless draw between Spain and Egypt.
What footballing countries are participating in the Tokyo Olympics?
After several intricate rounds of qualification, the main event boiled down to 16 teams. These countries were further segregated into four groups of four. The final roster at the Olympics looks like this:
- Group A - Japan, Mexico, France, South Africa
- Group B - Korea Republic, Honduras, New Zealand, Romania
- Group C - Spain, Australia, Argentina, Egypt
- Group D - Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Germany, Saudi Arabia
Of the lot, France records the highest FIFA ranking with 2nd, while New Zealand is placed the lowest at 122. Nevertheless, every country has named a glittering squad to compete for the elusive prize. Here, we take a look at the 5 most valuable players, partaking in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, with only one inclusion per country:
#5 Thiago Almada (Argentina, €20m)
Kicking off our list at number 5, Thiago Almada was called up to represent Argentina at the Olympics, aged just 20. Having already played 80 professional games in senior football, Almada has been contracted to Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield, ever since he laced a pair of boots.
Rumors have connected Almada to every top European club under the sun for quite some time now. A major target for Manchester United and Barcelona in the winter transfer window of 2021, the suave attacker is very close to joining Marseille at the time of writing this.
With 27 goal involvements already under his belt, Almada would be hoping to make his mark at the Olympics. The Albicelestes possess a real gem on their hands and if all the cards are dealt with utmost precision, the 20-year-old playmaker will soon find himself tearing it up for the European big guns.
#4 Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan, €20m)
A surprise entry from the home nation, Takehiro Tomiyasu is Japan's most valuable player at the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old Bologna player has seen a sharp rise in his market value after an impressive 20/21 campaign with the mid-table regulars.
A failed move to Barcelona's La Masia in his younger days prompted the promising defender to join J1 League outfit Avispa Fukuoka. Garnering deserved attention for his stout physicality and versatility to play anywhere in the defence line, Tomiyasu has been linked to a collection of teams including Spurs and Atalanta.
Bologna can benefit immensely if Tomiyasu goes onto have a superlative experience at the Tokyo Olympics. The Japanese stalwart registered 2,719 minutes for the side in Serie A, putting in a respectable 1.5 and 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game, respectively. With Takefuso Kubo also a part of their squad, the Samurai Blue have a golden opportunity to make substantial progress at the Tokyo Olympics.
#3 Richarlison (Brazil, €55m)
The first €50m+ addition on this list, Richarlison belongs to an elite group of highly sought after players, appearing in the Tokyo Olympics 2020. The 24-year-old dribbling wizard broke into the Brazil squad following a solitary season with Watford, where he announced himself to the footballing world.
Subject to a €100m bid from Barcelona in the winter of 2020, Richarlison is being linked to a move to Real Madrid, following his former coach Carlo Ancelotti's appointment at the Bernabeu.
He has been instrumental for Everton, chipping in with 42 goals in 3 seasons with the Toffees. Versatile enough to be deployed on the wings as well as the center, the Brazilian has successfully silenced all his doubters with some stellar performances.
Being one of the most experienced players of the Seleção at the Tokyo Olympics, alongside Dani Alves, Richarlison will be his team's go-to player for goals. Having won gold in the last edition of the coveted games, the defending champions will be looking to build a formidable plan-of-attack in an attempt to retain their title.
#2 Franck Kessié (Côte d'Ivoire, €55m)
Côte d'Ivoire's current 59th position in the latest FIFA rankings makes them only the 12th best side at the Tokyo Olympics, on paper at least. Nevertheless, the African nation possesses one of the most talented squads in the competition and AC Milan playmaker Frank Kessié is arguably the crown jewel of the team in terms of talent as well as value.
At the heart of a resurgent AC Milan, Kessié played a total of 50 games for the Rossoneri last season, clocking a colossal 4,171 minutes on the way. The 24-year-old Ivorian even pitched in with 20 goal involvements from the defensive midfield. Milan's unofficial spot chief, Kessié found the net 12 times out of 14 penalty attempts last season.
After an eight-year absence from the Champions League, AC Milan finally qualified for the evasive competition, with a second-place finish last season. Kessié played a pivotal role in the Italian giants' upturn. He could now prove to be the deciding factor in Ivory Coast's bid to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics as well. Should they win gold, it will be their first international title in over six years.
#1 Pedri (Spain, €80m)
An obvious conclusion to the list, Pedri's rise to prominence has been nothing short of amazing. In just a single season, the former Las Palmas player has managed to establish himself as one of the first names on the team sheet, for both Spain and Barcelona. Therefore, Pedri is not only the most valuable football player in La Roja's 22-man squad but also holds the aforementioned title at the entire Tokyo Olympics.
Coming off a record-breaking debut season with Barcelona, Pedri received little time to rest before picking up his boots again to represent his nation at Euro 2020. The Spaniard appeared in each of his country's six games at the tournament, spending all but one minute on the pitch. At the tender age of 18, Pedri pulled the strings from the center of the park for Spain, contributing to a massive 4.5 long balls per game, all the while maintaining a 91.3% passing accuracy.
Bought for a paltry sum of €5m by the Catalan giants, Pedri's updated market value rates him at a whopping €80m. With this kind of consistency and athleticism at such a young age, the midfield maestro is poised to fare well at the 2021 Golden Boy awards. If the youngster can lead his side to glory in the Tokyo Olympics, his 20/21 season will be etched forever in the history books of football.
