DR Congo’s forward #11 Silas (R) fights for the ball with Guinea’s midfielder #8 Naby Keita (C) during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 quarter-final football match between DR Congo and Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan on February 2, 2024. (Photo by SIA KAMBOU / AFP) (Photo by SIA KAMBOU/AFP via Getty Images)
Group 2: Medal hopefuls
Morocco — An up-and-down series of performances make this side a head scratcher but throw-in veteran goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi and all-world defender Achraf Hakimi and you’d bet on more evenness in the team. Can they get something from Argentina on matchday 1? If so, look out.
United States — A strong team with terrific experience in two center backs — Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson — is given power by its bevy of experienced young players. Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio helped Venezia to promotion, Kevin Paredes is a valued young player at Wolfsburg, and there are no shortage of players on the cusp of full national team status (or with experience already). Gaga Slonina at the back could really make his star in this tournament.
Japan — A true U-23 side, but probably should waltz out of its group and winning Group D means the runner-up of C with Uzbekistan, Spain, Dominican Republic, and Egypt.
Group 1: The favorites
Argentina — Julian Alvarez and Nicolas Otamendi comprise a team with no less than four World Cup winners and a young group that includes Lucas Beltran, Giuliano Simeone, and highly-touted Man City signee Claudio Echeverri.
Spain — There’s a heavy Barcelona taste to the side with young Pau Cubarsi at the back with La Masia alums Eric Garcia and Juan Miranda. Fermin Lopez may make his star even brighter at this tournament and Spain should skate out of its group and meet a favorable Group D runner-up in the quarterfinals.
France — Yes, the USA scrap to start the tournament won’t be easy. But France is just comically-loaded for this home soil tournament as Alexandre Lacazette, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Michael Olise alone are enough to make it out of an Olympics group. Then there’s Sevilla back Loic Bade, Gladbach mid Manu Kone, Lyon trickster Rayan Cherki, and transfer rumor mill magnet Desire Doue. Anything but the gold medal game would be a stunner but the quarterfinal match-up could mean Morocco, Argentina, or Ukraine (or Iraq). You never know.
Source link : https://www.nbcsports.com/soccer/news/2024-paris-olympics-mens-soccer-power-rankings-can-usa-win-a-medal
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Publish date : 2024-07-19 17:16:13
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