Top10 Players to Watch At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Men's Football

 

In the last Olympics, Brazil 2016, we saw clubs in Europe stop most Nigerian rising stars like Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi, Victor Osimhen, Alex Iwobi, from participating in the Olympics. 

 Olympic football is, famously, not a big deal - and though it remains one of the most beautiful memories we have of our football, yet NFF and the Ministry of sports usually treat it with kid gloves. 

 The Nigerian dream team had won gold in Atlanta 1996, beating the star studded Brazil and Argentina in the semi and finals. As players like Kanu, Jay-jay, the bull Amokachie shunned like a thousand stars. I have always thought Olympics football is a good opportunity for our rising stars to gain such a formative experience and break out to limelight

What an Olympic medal would mean, as it would often come across in your career, Messi won gold in 1992, Neymar in 2016... John Mikel Obi proved a point as he led a second rated Nigerian side to win bronze in Brazil even without the support of NFF nor Ministry of Sports. 

In fact, the team was abandoned after their training tour of the United States and the boys were still stranded in the hotel in Atlanta few hours to their first match in Rio de Janeiro. 

The Olympics doesn't have the prestige of a World Cup, Euros, Copa America or African cup of Nations - but it's a fun tournament in which starlets develop.

Tokyo 2020 promises to be more of the same. We've just had a Euros and a Copa - but this is

another chance to fill your mornings watching players that you've only ever heard about or just want to get a closer look at.

1. Takefusa Kubo

Age: 20, Nationality: Japan, Position: Attacking Midfielder

Speaking of Real Madrid loanees, Takefuso 'Take' Kubo went viral last month when he scored a goal that nutmegged four defenders. Exactly the kind of mad thing you want him to do at the Olympics.

He's the posterboy for football in Tokyo. Kubo is wildly exciting to watch on the ball and moved to Europe when Barcelona poached him as a youngster. When the club was hit with a transfer embargo for breaking rules on signing overseas kids, Kubo went back home to the far east, only for Madrid to pounce later. 

It would be fascinating to see him reach his full potential - if only for the El Clasico storylines in years to come - and an Olympic masterclass on home soil would be a hell of a way to begin.

2. Pedri

Age: 18, Nationality: Spain, Position: Central Midfielder

18-year-old Pedri didn't misplace a single pass in the Euro 2020 semi-final against Italy. The Canary Island-born midfielder is an absolute phenomenon not just destined for the top but very nearly there. 

Another international tournament before the season begins certainly helps Barcelona work out how to cram the likes of Messi, Aguero and Memphis Depay all into the same XI while jettisoning Coutinho and Griezmann. Meanwhile, the Olympics gives us another chance to watch Pedri balling with composure, precision and a god-given first touch. Let's face it: he's already too good for this level. 

3. Dani Alves

Age: 38, Nationality: Brazil, Position: Right Back/Attacking Midfielder

Pretty sure you've heard of this guy, right?

At 38, this could well be the last chance we get to see the monstrous Dani Alves in action. One of the greatest full-backs of his generation - or any other, let's face it - the veteran is still bombing down the right wing but also plays in attacking midfield for Sao Paolo. Olympic gold would be a nice way to end his international career. 

4. Enzo La Fée

Age: 21, Nationality: France, Position: Cebtral Midfielder

osiA wiry midfield talent at Lorient, Enzo La Fée is electric to watch, with excellent close control and a penchant for a mazy run. 

The midfielder is only short but never stops running, using his low centre of gravity to draw fouls from the opposition. France have a seemingly never-ending supply of sparkling talent, making La Fée's opportunities to impress scant - especially given his lightweight build. Nevertheless, watching him at what is essentially a youth tournament will be fun, as he'll be looking to run rings around other midfielders.

5. Liberato Cacace

Age: 20, Nationality: New Zealand, Position: Left Back

Uh-huh, that's his real name. Liberato Cacace plays for Sint-Truiden in Belgium and may well be the most exciting thing to come out of Oceania in the last few years - not to mention the speediest.

His acceleration is unreal but that's not all there is to his game. Cacace isn't a converted winger or shunted centre-back, he's a genuine specialist full-back who naturally covers a lot of ground and has an excellent cross on him in the final third. Big clubs have been linked with him - it'll be fascinating to see where he ends up. 

6. Reinier

Age: 19, Nationality: Brazil, Position: Attacking Midfielder

Still on loan at Borussia Dortmund from Real Madrid, Reinier was reportedly unhappy not to feature more in BVB's turbulent season. With Jadon Sancho gone and Marco Rose in the hotseat now though, he may well get his chance. 

It would be easy to label the youngster a luxury no.10 but Reinier provides superb creativity with an exquisite range of passing and immaculate ball control. He loves a late run into the box too: look out for him on the scoresheet.

7. Thiago Almada

Age: 20, Nationality: Argentina, Position: Attacking M

In Argentina, if you're short, young, play in attack and can dribble, you're only going to get compared to one of two GOATs. Thiago Almada is no different. 

The passing this 20-year-old possesses is unbelievable, though he has the energy of a Carlos Tevez-type a little more than Messi. He's reportedly a massive fan of Marcelo Bielsa, too - Leeds fans, look out...

8. Nathanael Mbuku

Age: 19, Nationality: France, Position: Striker

Nathanael Mbuku has seven goals in just 11 appearances for France under-19s. The Stade De Reims player could become the latest breakout striker for Les Bleus in Tokyo this summer. 

Mbuku is left-footed and glides across the pitch like a young Mohamed Salah. He has flair in abudance, superb spatial awareness and an eye for goal: there's plenty of room to develop into an excellent forward in any position up top. 

9. Mikel Oyarzabal

Age: 24, Nationality: Spain, Position: Right Winger

Redemption doesn't often come around so soon. Mikel Oyarzabal had his backside saved by Alvaro Morata in the Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley - the forward missed two golden opportunities, only for Morata to equalise and miss a penalty to deflect attention - and now the Real Sociedad man has a chance to show what he's really about in Japan. 

Oyarzabal is powerful, annoying to defend against and great at finding space. He's played over 200 league games for La Real already and as a probable starter - maybe up front again - he'll be keen to make up for those misses for his country earlier this summer. 

10. Antony

Age: 21, Nationality: Brazil, Position: RW

21-year-old Antony is Ajax's record signing. He plays with incision, speed and swagger and he's already being touted as the next big thing in Brazilian football.

He hit the ground running in Dutch football, scoring on his debut against Sparta Rotterdam and impressing with goals and assists a-plenty in the first half of his debut season. He slowed down considerably in the latter stages of the campaign, so it'll be interesting to see him refreshed after a summer break.

11. Lee Kang-in

Age: 20, Nationality: South Korea, Position: Attacker Midfielder

One of only two South Koreans in Tokyo this summer to play in Europe's top five leagues - the other is Bordeaux's 28-year-old Hwang Ui-jo - it would be lazy to label Lee Kang-in the next Son Heung-min, despite the similarities.

Like Son, the Valencia attacker is speedy, almost aggressively so, as he steams towards a ball like his life depends on it. While Son revels in the open space, however, Lee seems more at home in tighter surroundings; he's fantastic to watch when wriggling free from a marker or two and the ball always seems to stick to his feet like velcro.