The under-23 players have been compulsorily released from their clubs to enable them to play in the Beijing Olympics football competition. By S .R. Suryanarayan.
With the single Judge of the FIFA Players’ Status Committee, Slim Aloulou of Tunisia, ruling that it was compulsory for all clubs to release all those players under the age of 23 in their employment for the Beijing Olympics if their nations needed them, the stage has been set for the young stars to shine brightly in the quadrennial event.
It is tempting to pick defending champion Argentina ahead of the other 15 qualifiers as the favourite and pencil in Brazil next. But then the Olympic football competition, an exclusive programme for U-23 players (with a provision for choosing three players over this age in the final round), has never strictly worked on form and fame.
If so, Brazil the aristocrats of world football, would not still be looking for their first Olympic gold. It is one of football’s biggest ironies that the five-time World Cup winner is still to put up a winning combination on an Olympic platform.
Argentina appears a firm favourite after its success in Athens inspired it to make adequate preparations in order to retain the gold. If in Athens, Argentina went through without losing a match or even conceding a goal, then in the Olympic qualifiers this time it won three matches, drew five, and lost only one. A country with a strong youth base, Argentina has won the FIFA World Youth Championship a record six times including the 2007 edition in Canada. The core is in place and with a sprinkling of senior stars to give the winning edge, Argentina is sitting pretty.
The star in the Argentina ranks is Lionel Messi, 21, who has already enthralled the football world with his lavish skills. Famously compared to legend Diego Maradona, this diminutive, attacking midfielder with intricate dribbling skills now stands as a colossus in world football. Maradona himself is effusive about Messi, saying, “He is a genius and his potential is limitless.” Prominent among the other players are Sergio Aguero, a talented young forward who plays for Atlético Madrid, defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano from Liverpool and attacking midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme from Boca Juniors.
Coach Dunga has serious plans for Brazil. Central in his scheme of things is Ronaldinho, who may not be in the best of form. Dunga is hoping that this two-time FIFA Player of the Year award winner will come good and inspire the rest for, as he put it, ‘Get Gold’, was Brazil’s mission. More so after arch-rival Argentina’s success. Sadly, Brazil has had preparatory setbacks. It could not get the services of Kaka after AC Milan refused to release him, while Robinho has entered the injury list. But Brazil has enough talent like midfielder Lucas from Liverpool and the exciting Alexandro Pato, also of Milan.
Italy is another potential finalist. Bronze medallist in Athens, Italy, like Argentina, has a good record in youth competitions, winning five continental U-21 titles (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2004) in the UEFA European U-21 Championship. Players to watch for in the Italian squad include forward Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal), defender Marco Motta (Udinese) and midfielder Claudio Marchisio (Juventus). The Netherlands returns to the Games after 56 years. Players like Liverpool’s flying winger Ryan Babel and Real Madrid’s Royston Drenthe, are expected to light up the football arena. “I think it will be quite open, as every team playing there has a good chance,” Coach Foppe de Haan said on the challenge ahead.
Nigeria, the first African nation to win Olympic gold in Atlanta 12 years ago, is another to stake claims, while experts believe Cameroon, the 2000 winner, is not the same vibrant force now. There are two debutants in Ivory Coast and Serbia and who knows, they could be the dark horses of the competition. USA is rated among the weaker teams, but it has Freddy Adu who once was a prodigy. No Asian country has been among the football medals, let alone gold, in the last 40 years. Japan had last won a bronze in Mexico 1968. For the record, aside from Japan, the other Asian contenders are host China, Korea and Australia.
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