Football @ The Bejing Olympics.
I suppose it's a international football tournament so we might as well have a thread about it.
Anyone going to be watching it ?
Who do you fancy to win Gold ?
Any players you going to be keeping an eye out for ?
I've copy/pasted a bit of info below to start off with.
As the Olympic Games kick off in August, eyes turn towards Beijing and the hundreds of young players hoping to make a name for themselves.
With FIFA rules stating that clubs must release all players who are under the age of 23 for the tournament, a club-vs-country row has erupted over the call-ups of Lionel Messi, Diego and Ronaldinho while the likes of Kaka and Gabriel Heinze will not be seen in China.
However, while some players may not make it to Beijing, there are always others to step into their places and the U23 squads already boast a wealth of talent. Here's ten of the best to keep an eye on.
Anderson (Brazil)
Having helped Manchester United to win a double last season, the Brazilian midfielder is in fine form going into the Olympic tournament. Strong and tactically astute, the 20-year-old has had a great first season in the Premier League and has gone some way to paying back the £18million that United stumped up for his services.
A key part of the Brazilian attack alongside Diego and Pato, Anderson has been part of the national team set-up for a few years - helping the side to the final of the U17 World Cup in 2005 and winning the most valuable player award as well. Full of energy, the youngster also has excellent technical ability and could outshine the likes of Ronaldinho and Robinho in the Brazilian midfield.
Ezequiel Garay (Argentina)
With all eyes on Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Juan Román Riquelme in Beijing, it could be a young Argentine defender who steals the show from his attacking counterparts. Garay made a move to Real Madrid this summer and has the chance to show his new employers what they can expect to see when he returns from a year-long loan at Racing Santander, for whom he has played since 2005. Without an experienced defender in the squad, the 2004 Olympic Champions will rely on the centre-half as their rock at the back - although, having scored nine goals in La Liga last season, he also poses a threat from set-pieces as well.
Jozy Altidore (U.S)
Altidore has the dubious honour of being the next great hope for the U.S. football team. With Freddy Adu failing to establish himself at Benfica, the 18-year-old striker made the unusual move of following Adu to Europe in signing for Villarreal in June 2008 and carries the hopes of a nation on his young shoulders. An important member of the U17 and U20 teams, Altidore's strength and finishing ability ensured he has already made his bow in the full squad and a solid performance at the Olympics could convince his critics that he is worthy of all the hype.
Zheng Zhi (China)
Plying his trade at Charlton, Zheng has proved himself to be a key member of Alan Pardew's squad and it is a status he is used to with China. Regarded as one of the finest players to come out of China, the home support will expect a lot from the midfield general and, as captain, Zheng will be the heartbeat of the side. Possessing good ball skills and a great work ethic, Zheng could star alongside another English-based player, Man Utd's Dong Fangzhuo in a tough group.
Sebastian Giovinco (Italy)
The fact that the youngest Italian player at Euro 2008 was 24 years old speaks volumes about the Italian youth setup, but in Giovinco they may have found the man to take them forward. The 21-year-old did well while on loan at Empoli from Juventus and has expressed his desire to return to Turin for the coming season. The diminutive playmaker has represented Italy at all levels up to U21, however, with Alessandro Del Piero already in his position, Giovinco will have to use his performances in Beijing to persuade the 'Old Lady' that he is worthy of a first-team berth.
Royston Drenthe (Holland)
After earning his big move to Real Madrid with a series of impressive performances for Holland at the U21 European Championships, Drenthe will again be a key player for the Dutch at the Olympics. Named the player of the tournament in Holland, Drenthe will be keen to prove to Madrid that they should keep him at the club, after he played a bit-part role in last year's title-winning season. A fast and powerful midfielder who can also fill-in at left-back, Drenthe, along with Liverpool's Ryan Babel, will have to be on top form if the Dutch are going to lift the trophy.
Alexandre Song (Cameroon)
After a successful African Cup of Nations last year, Song returned to Arsenal and began to establish himself in the first team. But while Arsene Wenger chooses to deploy him at centre-back, Cameroon tend to play him as a holding midfielder and his tough tackling and solid distribution form an integral part of the team's attacks. A powerfully built young player, Song has grown in stature over the past few years and the Olympics could prove to be another international stage on which he excels.
Gervinho (Ivory Coast)
Attracting attention from the likes of Arsenal and PSG, the young striker has done well in his first season in Ligue 1 with Le Mans. The captain of the Ivorian Olympics team, Gervinho's displays for his club also earned him a call-up to the full squad and the pacy striker has the potential to earn himself a big move if he can impress in China. Didier Drogba has said he could reach the level of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in the future, although Gervinho will be happy enough if he can just fill the boots of the Chelsea striker.
Vincent Kompany (Belgium)
The Hamburg defender has been on the radar of Europe's top clubs for many years and is developing well in Germany despite from suffering injuries in recent seasons. A composed centre-back, Kompany is the only player of real class in the Belgian side - although a case could be made for Ajax's Thomas Vermaelen - and will bring stability to their defence. A good performance at the Olympics could eventually lead to Kompany's big move.
Stefan Babovic (Serbia)
Touted as the future of Serbian football, the 21-year-old Nantes midfielder has already made it into the full Serbia squad. The focal point of his side's attacking moves, Babovic boasts excellent passing ability as well as a goal threat. Serbia have a wealth of impressive young players, shown by their excellent performance in the U21 European Championships - losing in the final to Holland - and Babovic heads a list which could also include Chelsea's Slobodan Rajkovic and Partizan's Zoran Toaic.
Selected others: Kristian Sarkies (Australia), Promise Isaac (Nigeria), Ryan Nelsen (New Zealand), Park Chu-Young (South Korea), Hendry Thomas (Honduras), Atsuto Uchida (Japan).
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