The Top 15 Men's Players to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
07/24/2024 08:00 AM
The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics isn't for another couple of days but the XXXIII Olympiad truly begins today with the men's soccer tournament among other events. As always, a plethora of exciting young talent is eager to prove themselves to the world throughout the sixteen under-23 national teams who qualified. To save you the trouble of dissecting sixteen different 18-man rosters, I've picked out 15 of the most talented players in the tournament that you should keep your eye on this month in Paris.
Although each squad is allowed three overage players who do not fit the Olympic age requirement of being under 23 years old at the start of the year, I will not be including those individuals for consideration to focus on the next generation of talent, as one should do during a youth tournament.
Here we go:
15. Liel Abada (Israel, 22, Charlotte FC)
A full-fledged member of Israel's senior national team, Leil Abada came through the Maccabi Petah Tikva FC academy in Israel before moving to the infamous Celtic FC in Scotland while still a teenager. After finding success in the pressure cooker of the Hoops, scoring 29 goals and 19 assists while winning three trophies in just over two seasons, Abada made his way stateside to Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer where he has settled in nicely in his first season.
Abada is a pure winger who primarily operates from the right-hand side. He's eager to pull the trigger on a shot once inside the opponent's box but isn't selfish and happy to look for the assist instead. Still, the 22-year-old has a tendency to lose the ball a bit too often, though he will also chase down any lost possession. He is also a sufficient set-piece taker when necessary. Having succeeded under pressure before, Abada will be aiming to replicate that success in Paris.
14. Boubacar Traoré (Mali, 22, Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Boubacar Traoré is a box-to-box central midfielder who broke through as a teenager with Metz in France's Ligue 1 back in 2021. When the team got relegated a couple of years later, Traoré joined Wolverhampton Wanderers where he has spent the past two seasons developing his game.
The Premier League is a difficult place for a young player to fight for minutes but Traoré doubled his league minutes with Wolves last season, earning seven starts across 27 total appearances. The Olympics could provide Traoré with the opportunity he needs to get the world's attention.
13. Amir Richardson (Morocco, 22, Stade de Reims)
It's not often you see a 6-foot-5 box-to-box midfielder, but Amir Richardson is no ordinary 22-year-old. Richardson cut his teeth in France's Ligue 2 for a couple of seasons before earning his move to the top division last season with Stade de Reims where he has shown himself nicely, scoring three goals and adding one assist across his 28 league appearances, starting half of them. He may not catch the eye with a five-star performance in any single match, but Richardson provides a reliable 7/10 every time he steps on the pitch — a particularly valuable commodity in the middle of the park at a youth tournament.
12. Eric García (Spain, 23, FC Barcelona)
The curious case of Eric García is set to write its latest chapter at the Paris Olympics.
The Spaniard came up through the famous La Masia academy in Barcelona before being transferred at 17 years old to the Manchester City academy — another one of the best academies in the world that ironically modeled itself after La Masia. At 18 he made his Man City debut and at 19, his Premier League debut. He was earmarked to be the next Gerard Pique but couldn't dispel the occasional blunder from his game, which is crucial as a central defender at the top level.
At 21, City sent García back to Barcelona where he once again struggled to impress in two seasons before being sent on loan to fellow La Liga side Girona FC last season. The move turned out to be just what the doctor ordered with García producing five goals from central defense in the best campaign of his career. That form carries him into an Olympics where he will be expected to lead Spain from the back as one of the oldest "under 23" players in the entire tournament with his January 2001 birthday.
11. Enzo Millot (France, 22, VfB Stuttgart)
Enzo Millot is aiming to follow up a breakout Bundesliga season with a breakout Olympic tournament.
Two weeks after his 17th birthday, the creative midfielder signed his first professional contract with AS Monaco. A year later, he made his Ligue 1 debut, and a year after that he moved to VfB Stuttgart for a mere €1.5m transfer fee. With Millot earning his way into the team over the past couple of seasons, this year that investment paid off for Stuttgart as Millot contributed 5 goals and 4 assists across 31 matches (27 starts) while recording another goal and three assists in the DFB Pokal. It's the type of season that has the rumor mill spinning once again with links to Millot replacing Lucas Paqueta should the attacking midfielder leave West Ham this summer. For now, Millot will have his summer focus set in his home country.
10. Diego Gómez (Paraguay, 21, Inter Miami CF)
Many players go to the Olympics hoping to earn a big-money move by impressing the scouts in attendance with a breakout tournament. Diego Gómez doesn't need that.
Having joined Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF in the middle of last season for a reported $3m fee, the South Beach club has already agreed to send Paraguay's captain to the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion paying a $15m transfer with add-ons exceeding $18m. Able to play in midfield or on the left wing, he spent two seasons at Libertad in Paraguay, will spend even less than that in Miami, and is already headed to the top league in the world at 21 years of age. Now it's time to see what Gómez can do at the Olympics!
9. Thiago Almada (Argentina, 23, Botafogo F.R.)
A month that will end with Thiago Almada beginning his Olympic campaign with Argentina started with the creative midfielder becoming the most expensive outgoing transfer in the history of Major League Soccer, reportedly worth $30m including add-ons. Naturally, when Almada originally arrived at Atlanta United, he broke the incoming transfer record at the time as well with a $16m price tag.
The 23-year-old first rose to prominence with Velez Sarsfield in his home country where he played four successful seasons, increasing his goal contributions year on year before making his way stateside. In Atlanta, he took MLS by storm in his two-and-a-half seasons, particularly in the 2023 season when he finished as one of three MVP finalists following his twelve goals and sixteen assists across 33 matches. Almada can do anything you ask of him including beat his defender on the dribble, pick the perfect pass, or score a worldie from 30 yards out — and occasionally he'll do it all on one play. Already a World Cup champion, Almada will be aiming to add Olympic gold to his growing trophy cabinet this summer.
8. Samu Omorodion (Spain, 20, Atletico Madrid)
Samu Omorodion may not need a breakout tournament to earn his first major transfer this summer but it sure wouldn't hurt.
Prior to this season, Omorodion had never played a game in any top division but after scoring 18 goals across 33 matches for Granada B in Spain's Segunda Division, Deportivo Alaves gave the 20-year-old striker his chance on loan from Atletico Madrid in their first season back in the top-flight and he took it. Starting 22 of his 35 La Liga appearances this season, Omorodion racked up 8 goals to keep Alaves midtable, attracting interest from Chelsea among others. The Blues recently had a £30m bid for Omorodion rejected by Atletico Madrid before the player shared his intention to remain at the Metropolitano in an Olympic press conference. Regardless, the talent is clear for the 6'4" striker who can score with either foot, his head, from close or long range, and from any phase of the game. I wish the under-23 central defenders luck attempting to stop him in Paris.
7. Castello Lukeba (France, 21, RB Leipzig)
As a teenager, Castello Lukeba was already one of the best center-backs in France. By 20 he earned a €34m move to Bundesliga powerhouse RB Leipzig. Now, after a successful first season in Germany, Lukeba is heading home for the summer at 21 hoping to pick up a gold medal before continuing his skyrocketing career.
It is an extremely difficult task to take the ball off of the left-footed ball-playing central defender who is just as difficult to dribble past. He can still improve in the air at the top level but shouldn't have any issues leading France's backline to a medal in a home Olympics.
6. Julio Enciso (Paraguay, 20, Brighton and Hove Albion)
Julio Enciso is having a busy summer. After finishing his club season in England in May, Enciso joined up with the Paraguay senior national team for Copa America in the U.S. in June, before heading to France with the Paraguay Olympic team this July.
Brighton's No. 10 is your typical attacking midfielder with the added versatility to play out on the wing or even as a striker if necessary. Boasting the ability to score or assist for his team, since returning from a meniscus tear in February Enciso hasn't contributed either for Brighton in twelve matches. Luckily, his slump ended with a goal in Copa America against Colombia but with the talent he possesses, Enciso will intend to produce a lot more for Paraguay at the Olympics.
5. Rayan Cherki (France, 20, Lyon)
When he was 16 years old, Rayan Cherki was tipped to be the next Kylian Mbappe. He had already made his professional debut and was seeing a new article written about him every week. Slow progression has prevented him from hitting such heights just yet but the hype has resulted in the feeling of a 20-year-old who produces the consistency of a veteran. Cherki already has five seasons in France's top flight under his belt despite his age failing to bust a blackjack hand.
Naturally a playmaker, Cherki has mostly been deployed as a winger this season with occasional cameos in attacking midfield, racking up three goals and nine assists in 39 games across all comps this season for Lyon. Unfortunately for him, cracking France's starting lineup is unlikely due to the inclusion of Alexander Lacazette and Jean-Philippe Mateta as overage players but an individual as talented as Cherki potentially coming off the bench tells you exactly why the hosts are also the gold medal favorites in Paris.
4. Fermin López (Spain, 21, FC Barcelona)
Fresh off of lifting the European Championship with his senior national team, Fermin Lopez isn't satisfied with his trophy cabinet as gets set to chase a medal in the Olympics as well.
López played less than half an hour in Spain's Euros campaign but simply making the roster is an incredible achievement for a player who hadn't played a top-flight game until last season. The 21-year-old midfielder debuted in August, signing a new contract through 2027 two days later with a €400m release clause. He ended up playing 41 more games across all competitions the rest of the season in midfield and on the wing, scoring 11 goals. No doubt, López will play a much bigger part for Spain at the Olympics than he did at the Euros.
3. Álex Baena (Spain, 23, Villareal CF)
Álex Baena is the other player from Spain's Euro-winning roster to join the Olympic squad in Paris in search of his own historic double. Unlike López, however, Baena is in his fifth La Liga season and seemingly only keeps improving. Increasing his goal contributions year on year at Villareal over the last five seasons with the middle year spent at Girona, Baena racked up 5 goals and 17 assists across 45 matches this season in all competitions. As a result, he has garnered considerable interest from across Europe including from Barcelona, Chelsea, and Aston Villa.
A right-footer, Baena operates from the left-hand side with a tendency to cut in on his strong foot to score or assist, but don't commit as a defender, or else his swift dribbling will leave you in the dust.
2. Pau Cubarsí (Spain, 17, FC Barcelona)
Don't fret football historians, La Masia is alive and well. 16-year-old Lamine Yamal took the world by storm by helping push Spain to their Euros triumph in Germany, but he is not the only teenage phenomenon in Catalonia. In his first top-flight season after being promoted to the Barcelona senior team, 17-year-old Pau Cubarsí has already earned three caps for the full Spanish national team and signed a new club contract through 2027 with a €500m buyout clause.
As you would expect from a Barcelona central defender, Cubarsí is a ball-playing CB who enjoys starting attacks by bringing the ball out of the back and carries a composure most players his age lack. Defenders as young as him rarely get major opportunities such as starting in the Olympics but don't be surprised if he grabs headlines in a similar manner to his teenage Barca teammate with a breakout tournament.
1. Michael Olise (France, 22, FC Bayern Munich)
It almost seems unfair to opponents that Michael Olise qualifies under the Olympic age restriction. Carrying the quality of an overage player, Olise will be the only Olympic-age starter in France's attack in the playmaking role under Lacazette and Mateta.
Following his latest career-best campaign in the Premier League with Crystal Palace where the shifty winger tallied 10 goals and 6 assists across 19 matches despite battling a hamstring injury, Olise finally earned his career-defining €60m transfer to the biggest club in Germany, Bayern Munich. The 22-year-old possesses pace, skill, and final product all on a world-class level but has yet to lift a trophy in his career. Before he surely ends that run with Bayern, Olise has his eyes set on leading France to Olympic gold at home.
