Fútbol olímpico - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. The Olympic football tournament is one of the oldest competitions in the history of the modern Olympics, with the sport first being included in the 1900 Paris Games.
- 2. Unlike the FIFA World Cup, which is open to national teams from all over the world, the Olympic football tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23 (with three overage players allowed per team).
- 3. The women's Olympic football tournament was introduced in 1996, with the same age restrictions as the men's tournament.
- 4. The Olympic football tournament is played in a knockout format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals.
- 5. The host nation automatically qualifies for the tournament, along with the reigning champions and the winners of the various continental qualifying tournaments.
- 6. The men's tournament features 16 teams, while the women's tournament features 12 teams.
- 7. The most successful men's team in Olympic football history is Hungary, with three gold medals (1952, 1964, 1968), while the most successful women's team is the United States, with four gold medals (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012).
- 8. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time in history that the Games were postponed rather than canceled.
- 9. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics marked the debut of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in the Olympic football tournament, aimed at reducing errors in officiating.
- 10. The Olympic football tournament is a prestigious event for both players and fans, with many top footballing nations placing a high value on winning an Olympic gold medal.