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Football is all set to weave magic at the 2020 Summer Olympics. The quadrennial games are set to take place in Tokyo next month. The host country will see 16 renowned footballing countries pitted against each other to compete for Olympic gold.
The footballing events begin from 22nd July 2021 and will go on till 7th August 2021. There will be two events under football, one for the men's team and the other for women.
The women's event will see 12 teams competing against each other, free from any age restrictions on their squad. However, the men's event will see all 16 teams field players under the age restrictions set by the IOC.
As per the rules, only the players born on or after 1 January 1997 can participate at the Olympics, with a maximum of 3 over-aged players allowed.
Brazil are the defending football champions for the men's division at the Olympics. They are all set to begin their campaign on July 22nd against Germany. The top two teams from four groups will advance to the knockout rounds. Here are the top five teams who are most likely to win gold in Tokyo.
Top five footballing nation at Olympics
5. Japan
The host nation are one of the favorites to win the Olympics as they would be familiar with their conditions. The home ground factor will be an advantage for them.
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4. Argentina
The two-time Olympic football champions are also heavy favorites to win gold at Tokyo. Even though Argentina's under-23 squads are not used to Japanese conditions, these players are technically at the top of their game.
They have a plethora of young talent who will want to use the Olympics as a platform to catch the eye of the big European clubs.
3. France
The 1984 Olympic football champions France will be looking to bag gold this summer in Tokyo. They are strong contenders to take home the medal with Malang Sarr and Jonathan Ikoné set to take part in the tournament. Kylian Mbappe's participation is not yet certified for the Olympics. The French team will also have the services of the experienced Florian Thauvin at the games.
2. Spain
Spain won their only Olympic medal at the 1992 Olympics. They have the world's best youth academies and will hope to have their young guns perform well in Tokyo next month.
They even train their U-19 squads by putting them in a 5-a-side match instead of 11-a-side. Hence their possession play and young talents could see them earn a podium finish.
1. Brazil
The defending champions make it to the list as they are extremely likely to retain their title. Their under 23 team have lost just two of their last 11 matches. They have released their squad for the quadrennial event. It has the likes of veteran Daniel Alves, Gabriel Magalhães from Arsenal in defense, Douglas Luiz in midfield and former Barcelona forward Malcom in the team.
