At 9 PM on July 24, the first round of Group C in the 2024 Paris Olympic Men’s Football tournament will take place at Parc des Princes in Paris, with Spain facing off against Uzbekistan.
While not the team with the most gold medals in Olympic men’s football history, Spain is one of the best-performing teams in recent years. In the last eight Olympics, Spain has competed five times, winning gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games and silver at the 2000 Sydney and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. By comparison, Uzbekistan lacks experience in the Olympics, as this is their national team’s first appearance in the competition.
Spain boasts a star-studded squad, with notable players such as Barcelona’s Kubaci and Fermín. The majority of the team plays in La Liga, supported by a few from Paris and Serie A. The three overage players are defender Juan Miranda (Bologna), left-sided player Sergio Gómez (transferred from Manchester City to Real Sociedad earlier this month), and Abel Ruiz (who recently moved from Braga to Girona). On the Olympic stage, Spain shines brightly as one of the favorites to win the title.
Most of Uzbekistan’s players come from domestic leagues or those in Kazakhstan and Iran, with limited international recognition. However, they do have five Europe-based players: Kusanov from Ligue 1’s Lens, Fayzulayev from the Russian Premier League’s CSKA Moscow, Shomurodov from Serie A’s Roma, Rahmonaliyev from Rubin Kazan in the Russian Premier League, and Alikulov from the Turkish Super Lig.
In terms of form, Spain’s Olympic team has remained unbeaten in their last seven official matches, recording one win and six draws. However, selecting the squad was challenging due to the European Championship this summer, resulting in a makeshift team. Uzbekistan’s U23 team has more experience, having participated in the 2023 Asian Games (winning bronze) and finishing second in the 2023 AFC U23 Championship. They have also played many friendlies, making them better prepared and more cohesive.
There has been no direct encounter between the two teams, but in October 2023, Uzbekistan’s Olympic team drew 0-0 with Spain’s U21 team in a friendly match.
The media has highlighted key players to watch. For Spain, it’s the Barcelona duo of Fermín, who scored 11 goals for the club last season, and the 17-year-old Kubaci, who if he takes the field, would become the youngest player at the Paris Olympics. For Uzbekistan, captain Shomurodov, whose rights belong to Roma and who spent last season on loan at Cagliari, scoring three goals and providing three assists in 24 appearances, is one to watch. Additionally, Nortchayev, who plays for Pakhtakor Tashkent, is worth noting; the 22-year-old has scored 15 goals for the Olympic team, making him their top scorer.
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