Olympic Football Squad

Brazil 2008 Olympic Football Squad


Coach:
Dunga, 44

Goalkeepers:
Diego (23) (Almeira, Spain)
Renan (23) (Internacional)

Defenders:
Alex Silva (23) (Sao Paulo)
Breno (18 ) (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Thiago Silva (23) (Fluminese)
Ilsinho (22) (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine)
Rafinha (22) (Schalke 04, Germany)
Marcelo (20) (Real Madrid, Spain)

Midfielders:
Anderson (20) (Manchester United, England)
Diego (23) (Werder Bremen, Germany)
Hernanes (23) (Sao Paulo)
Lucas (21) (Liverpool, England)
Ronaldinho (28 ) (Barcelona, Spain)
Thiago Neves (23) (Fluminese)

Strikers:
Alexandre Pato (18 ) (AC Milan, Italy)
Jo (21) (Manchester City, England)
Rafael Sobis (23) (Real Betis, Spain)
Robinho (24) (Real Madrid, Spain)

As you can see, Brazil have named an experinced squad with several players aged 22 and 23. The younger ones are usually sensational stars on their own (Anderson, Jo, Lucas, Breno) and in Diego, Ronaldinho and Robinho they have three excellent attacking players who will be able to ply open the inexperienced defenders at the Olympics with ease.

Even if one or two of these players don’t make it to the Olympics (due to club-FIFA squabbling), the squad is quite strong and in an easy group (Group C has Brazil, China, Belgium and New Zealand).

Argentina 2008 Olympic Football Squad


Coach
Sergio Batista, 45, Under-23 Coach

Goalkeepers:
Oscar Ustari (22) (Getafe, Spain)
Sergio Romero (21) (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)

Defenders:
Pablo Zabaleta (23) (Espanyol, Spain)
Ezequiel Garay (21) (Real Madrid, Spain)
Federico Fazio (21) (Sevilla, Spain)
Nicolás Burdisso (24) (Internazionale, Italy)
Luciano Monzón (21) (Boca Juniors)

Midfielders:
Fernando Gago (22) (Real Madrid)
Ever Banega (20) (Valencia, Spain)
Javier Mascherano (24) (Liverpool, England)
Juan Román Riquelme (30) (Boca Juniors)
Angel Di María (20) (Benfica, Portugal)
José Sosa (23) (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Diego Buonanotte (20) (River Plate)

Forwards:
Lionel Messi (21) (Barcelona, Spain)
Ezequiel Lavezzi (23) (Napoli, Italy)
Lautaro Acosta (20) (Sevilla, Spain)
Sergio Agüero (20) (Atlético de Madrid, Spain)

Reserves:
Nicolás Navarro (Napoli, goalkeeper)
Nicolás Pareja (Anderlecht, Belgium, defender)
Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht, midfielder)
Emiliano Insúa (Liverpool, midfielder)

The reserves won’t travel but can be called up prior to the start of the tournament in case a squad member is injured. Argentina will play against Japan in a friendly on 29th July in Tokyo before traveling to Beijing.

Netherlands 2008 Olympic Football Squad


Coach:
Foppe de Haan, 65

Goalkeepers:
Piet Velthuizen (21) (Vitesse)
Kenneth Vermeer (22) (Willem II)

Defenders:
Kew Jaliens (29) (AZ Alkmaar)
Calvin Jong-a-Pin (21) (SC Heerenveen)
Dirk Marcellis (20) (PSV Eindhoven)
Erik Pieters (19) (FC Utrecht)
Gianni Zuiverloon (22) (West Brom, England)
Urby Emanuelson (22) (Ajax)

Midfielders:
Kees Luyckx (22) (AZ Alkmaar)
Otman Bakkal (23) (PSV Eindhoven)
Jonathan de Guzmán (20) (Feyenoord)
Hedwiges Maduro (23) (Valencia, Spain)
Evander Sno (21) (Celtic, Scotland)
Royston Drenthe (21) (Real Madrid, Spain)

Strikers:
Roy Beerens (20) (SC Heerenveen)
Ryan Babel (21) (Liverpool)
Roy Makaay (33) (Feyenoord)
Gerald Sibon (34) (SC Heerenveen)

Netherlands are in Group B alongside Japan, Nigera and USA. It’s a tough group but the Dutch will be expecting to qualify from this group and progress to the knockout stages, and will definitely be fancying themselves for a medal.

Italy 2008 Olympic Football Squad


Coach:
Pierluigi Casiraghi

Goalkeepers:
Andrea Consigli (21) (Atalanta)
Emiliano Viviano (22) (Brescia)
Salvatore Sirigu (21) (Cremonese)

Defenders:
Salvatore Bocchetti (21) (Genoa)
Andrea Coda (23) (Udinese)
Domenico Criscito (21) (Genoa)
Paolo De Ceglie (21) (Juventus)
Lorenzo De Silvestri (20) (Lazio)
Marco Motta (22) (Udinese)
Andrea Ranocchia (20) (Arezzo)

Midfielders:
Ignazio Abate (21) (AC Milan)
Luca Cigarini (22) (Parma)
Daniele Dessena (21) (Parma)
Claudio Marchisio (22) (Juventus)
Riccardo Montolivo (23) (Fiorentina)
Antonio Nocerino (23) (Palermo)
Andrea Russotto (20) (Trevisio)
Antonio Candreva (21) (Udinese)

Strikers:
Robert Acquafresca (20) (Cagliari)
Sebastian Giovinco (21) (Juventus)
Tommaso Rocchi (30) (Lazio)
Giuseppe Rossi (21) (Villareal, Spain)

Italy have a young but talented squad and are placed in Group D with the Korea Republic, Cameroon and Honduras with them. Should qualify without too much trouble, especially with the likes of Giovinco and Rossi in the team.