World champions Spain will be looking to add Olympic gold to their cabinet. (Photo by Jose … [+] Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Group C at the 2024 Summer Olympics Women’s Football Tournament is stacked with quality as it features three teams in the top eight of the FIFA world rankings including the current world champions, and the most successful nations from South America and Africa.
🇪🇸 Spain
Current FIFA Ranking: #1
Olympic History: No previous appearances
Major International Trophies: 1 FIFA World Cup (2023), 1 UEFA
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF
Nations League (2024)
Just one year ago to this day, Spain’s Women’s National Team had never won a major international trophy. Now, they are the world champions and indisputably the best in the world by all measures.
Spain won the last World Cup in some style. (Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty … [+] Images)
Europa Press via Getty Images
In fact, Spain seem to be in their heyday as a footballing nation, as their men’s team won the Euros a month ago to go with the last Nations League, while their youth teams continue to shine at every tournament they participate in. The only thing they do not have in their cabinet is the gold medal in the Olympics Women’s Football Tournament, so La Roja will be seeking to change that on their tournament debut.
Tactics and Recent Results
The best part about Spain’s success across all levels is that they have achieved these results by sticking to their traditional identity of controlling possession and killing by a thousand passes, but they have also been open to making a few tweaks as necessary. Both in their women’s and men’s teams, they have added a new dimension of direct attacking threat through young stars such as Salma Paralluelo and Nico Williams.
Montserrat Tomé’s side have been on a roll since the World Cup, winning all but a couple of group stage games en route to the Nations League title and direct qualification to next year’s Euros.
Key Player
Salma Paralluelo was the breakout star of Spain’s World Cup campaign thanks to her direct attacking threat, which added another dimension to the side as previously referenced. La Roja often play without a pure number nine up front, so her runs in behind prove invaluable be it down the wing or in the middle.
Expectations
As the world champions and highest-ranked team in the world, anything but the gold medal would be a disappointment for Spain to some extent at least.
🇯🇵 Japan
Current FIFA Ranking: #7
Olympic History: 5 previous appearances; best result: Silver Medalists (2012)
Major International Trophies: 1 FIFA World Cup (2011), 2 Asian Cups (2014, 2018)
In their golden age in the early 2010s, Japan’s Women’s National Team very nearly won everything they could. They lifted the World Cup and Asian Cup trophies and got to the final of the Olympics between them but only just lost to the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) by a one-goal margin. They seem back on the up now, so they will be looking to complete the set.
Tactics and Recent Results
Japan’s resurgence was solidified by their impressive performances at the last World Cup, where they reached the quarterfinals and looked like real dark horses after thrashing would-be champions Spain 4-0 in the group stage. The key to their success was their tactical flexibility and ability to smoothly change approaches from match to match or even in games, so they are sure to trouble any opposition.
Futoshi Ikeda has done a great job in charge of the Nadeshiko. (Photo by Alex Grimm – FIFA/FIFA via … [+] Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images
Key Player
Regardless of who they face or how they play, Japan can pack a serious attacking punch be it through settled possession or in transition. More often than not, midfielder Yui Hasegawa is involved in the build-up thanks to her fantastic ball control, passing range and playmaking abilities.
Expectations
Truthfully, Japan are not among the very strongest teams at the Olympics as far as player quality is concerned. Make no mistake, they are still quite good, but the key to their success lies in their cohesion. So, they cannot be placed among the favorites for old, but they will definitely want to reach the knockouts and establish themselves as contenders.
🇳🇬 Nigeria
Current FIFA Ranking: #36
Olympic History: 3 previous appearances; best result: Quarterfinalists (2004)
Major International Trophies: 11 African Cup of Nations (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018)
Nigeria are back at the Olympics after three consecutive absences, so they will be keen to give a good account of themselves. In such a tough group, though, they will face an uphill battle.
Tactics and Recent Results
Under Randy Waldrum, defensive solidity has been the clear priority for Nigeria. They kept three clean sheets in their four matches at the last World Cup, only being knocked out on penalties against England. They also kept clean sheets in all four of their Olympic qualifying fixtures earlier this year, winning both ties by a sole goal on aggregate.
Key Player
The Super Falcons have some star power in attack and a seriously sturdy defense, but the difference-maker in their team could well be goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. She has built a great reputation for herself as a penalty-killer for club and country in the last year, so Nigeria’s opponents will not at all be keen to take their games to penalties if they reach the knockouts.
Few players would want to take a penalty with Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal. (Photo by Elsa – FIFA/FIFA … [+] via Getty Images)
FIFA via Getty Images
Expectations
Based on the FIFA rankings, Nigeria are the clear outliers in this group as the lowest-placed team by far. However, they will be no pushovers as their recent record shows, so they should aim to smash and grab a result and contend for a knockout berth.
🇧🇷 Brazil
Current FIFA Ranking: #8
Olympic History: 7 previous appearances; best result: Silver Medalists (2004, 2008)
Major International Trophies: 8 Copas América (1991, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
Marta is indisputably one of the greatest to have ever played the game and will end her career with a long list of honors, but the only thing she is missing is a global title with her national team. In her final international tournament, Brazil will hope to change that.
Tactics and Recent Results
Following a shock group stage exit at the World Cup, Brazil parted ways with head coach Pia Sundhage and replaced her with Arthur Elias. With a great deal of experience in the domestic club competitions, he brought a new approach to the job which has worked well so far.
The only noteworthy tournament he has overseen so far was the CONCACAF W Gold Cup earlier this year, in which Brazil reached the final with a near-perfect record and pushed the USWNT all the way before losing by a solitary goal. His back three setup worked quite well then, so it should be interesting to see how it fares in France.
Key Player
Marta will be a great source of inspiration for the side as referenced above, but she still is a very good player too. Even though she is well past the age of 35, she has been averaging over 0.5 goal involvements per 90 across the last two NWSL seasons. Of course, her game time will have to be carefully managed in such a tight schedule, but she will be no passenger in this Brazil squad.
Marta has very much still got it. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Expectations
As strong as Brazil traditionally are, their expectations should be reined in for this tournament as this is a period of transition for them. Besides Marta’s retirement, Elias has also brought in a number of fresh faces to the squad as he is showing greater faith in domestically-based players. Nevertheless, the Seleção will want to target a medal at least.
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Publish date : 2024-07-24 02:00:00
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