10 players to watch in the Olympics men’s soccer tournament

The men’s soccer competition at the Olympics traditionally isn’t seen as a big deal because it’s mainly a youth tournament. Each team’s 18-player roster (plus four traveling alternates) must have players who are 23 years old or younger, except for three overage players to help bring some extra attention.

This time, the tournament definitely will get some buzz. Games will be played in big-time stadiums across France, leading up to the gold-medal game at Paris’ historic Parc des Princes stadium.

There will be also more buzz than usual here in the United States, because the U.S. men qualified for the first time in 16 years.

Here are 10 players to know about from the rest of the tournament, which has 16 teams spread across four groups. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

» READ MORE: Here are the top Olympics men’s soccer group stage games to watch

Position: Forward Club: Charlotte FC Age: 22

Abada is one of six non-U.S. players from Major League Soccer teams in the Olympic field. Two more are from the second-tier USL Championship, and one (who we’ll mention in a second) just got sold from a MLS team for big money.

The forward joined Charlotte this year as a Young Designated Player for $8 million. Alas, the return hasn’t been there yet, with just four goals and one assist in 15 games so far.

This will be a big stage for him, and not just because of sports. Israel hasn’t reached the Olympics in men’s soccer since 1976, hasn’t been in a World Cup since 1970, and has never qualified for a European Championship since moving from the Asian confederation to UEFA in the mid-1990s.

Position: Midfielder Club: Botafogo, Brazil Age: 23

If you follow MLS, you know Almada’s name. In 2022, he became the first active MLS player to win a World Cup as part of Argentina’s squad.

If you only follow MLS casually, you may have heard of Almada but wondered why his club isn’t Atlanta United anymore. He was sold earlier this month for $21 million. Botafogo’s owner, American businessman John Textor, also owns French club Lyon, and Almada will end up in France later.

By the way, Argentina’s roster is stacked. Its overage players include veteran centerback Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica, Portugal) and 24-year-old striker Julián Álvarez (Manchester City, England), both of whom just won the Copa América.

If Argentina wins its group — which it should, the other teams are Iraq, Morocco, and Ukraine — the Albiceleste will play the second-place team from the United States’ group in the quarterfinals. The U.S. certainly could be that team.

» READ MORE: The Union’s Jack McGlynn makes the U.S. Olympic soccer team, opening the door to stardom

Position: Defender Club: Penn State Age: 19

There are many ways to make it in the soccer world, and here’s an example. The word “club” doesn’t apply to Penn State because Cisset is a rising sophomore on the Nittany Lions’ varsity team.

The Montreal native played 18 games for Penn State last season and has played three games for Mali’s under-23s. It’s Mali’s first time in the Olympics since 2004, which was their only time in the tournament until now.

Position: Defender Club: Barcelona, Spain Age: 17

Teenage centerbacks don’t play often for any big club in the world, especially one as big as Barcelona. But Cubarsí is one of the best prospects at the position on the planet.

He has already played 24 games for Barcelona’s first team and three for Spain’s senior squad. In a summer where Cubarsí's fellow phenom, Lamine Yamal, just helped La Roja win the European Championship, the Olympics could be Cubarsí's next breakout stage.

» READ MORE: Nathan Harriel’s years of hard work pay off with a place on the U.S. Olympic men’s soccer team

Position: Midfielder Club: None Age: 32

Fans of England’s Arsenal know Elneny from his eight years in North London, where he won the 2017 FA Cup. Elneny left the Gunners at the end of this past season and hasn’t signed with a new club yet.

The Pharaohs’ roster is mostly from Egypt’s domestic league, so Elneny will be looked to for leadership as the team’s captain.

Position: Defender Club: Leeds United, England Age: 27

Update: Unfortunately, Leeds pulled Firpo out on July 23, the day before the Olympics started. Josué Baez was elevated from the reserves, and no replacement reserve was named. The squad does have two players from U.S. clubs, goalkepeer Xavier Valdez of the Houston Dynamo and midfielder Edison Azcona of the second-tier USL Championship’s Las Vegas Lights.

There are two Concacaf teams in the tournament, and the second isn’t Mexico, Canada, or the other usual suspects. The Dominican Republic upset El Salvador, Jamaica, and Guatemala (which had upset Mexico) in Concacaf’s 2022 under-20 championship, which doubled as Olympics qualifying.

Firpo, who has played with Medford’s Brenden Aaronson at Leeds, was a coup for the national team. He was born in the Dominican Republic but grew up in Spain, so he played for Spanish youth national teams. Firpo switched allegiance this year and has played four times for the senior squad.

» READ MORE: Paxten Aaronson makes it three players with Union ties on the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team

Position: Midfielder Club: Inter Miami Age: 21

Miami is known for Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, but the Herons also have some serious young South American talent in their ranks. Gómez is one of them. He was the joint leading scorer at the South American Olympic qualifying tournament in February with five goals, helping Paraguay win the tournament.

Unfortunately, Gómez missed two months of action earlier this year because of an ankle injury. But he’s back to full health now, just in time to head to France — and reportedly to the English Premier League’s Brighton later this year for $15 million.

Position: Midfielder Club: Werder Bremen, Germany Age: 29

Guinea is in the Olympics for the first time since 1968 and has turned to one of its most famous players to lead the squad. Keïta played for English powerhouse Liverpool from 2018 to 2023, winning the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020.

Unfortunately, much of his time in England was marred by injuries, and when he moved to Bremen last summer, he was a bust there.

But the thing really worth knowing about Keïta is how he became known before getting to Liverpool. His club before then was Germany’s RB Leipzig, and the one before that was Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg (which has the same owner). The scout who found him for Salzburg was current Union sporting director Ernst Tanner.

When Guinea plays the United States in their group stage finale on June 30, Keïta will face three American players whom Tanner discovered: Jack McGlynn, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson.

» READ MORE: Don’t expect to see the United States in Philly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Position: Forward Club: Bayern Munich, Germany Age: 22

The home team is among the favorites to win the gold medal, along with Argentina and Spain. Olise is one of Les Bleus’ big weapons: a striker who just earned a $64 million move to Bayern after three years at England’s Crystal Palace. Last season, he had 10 goals and six assists in 19 games.

Olise is just one piece of France’s firepower. Rayan Cherki (Lyon, France) and Arnaud Kalimuendo (Rennes, France) are big-time youngsters, and the overage group includes strikers Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace).

Their coach is one of France’s greatest-ever strikers: Thierry Henry. He had to work hard to get players for this team because clubs aren’t obligated to release players for the Olympics. But he’s got enough to make the team a must-watch — starting with the opener against the U.S. on July 26 in Marseille.

Position: Midfielder Club: Reims, France Age: 22

Richardson’s story has an interesting American angle. His father, Micheal Ray Richardson, played for the Knicks, Warriors, and Nets from 1978 to 1986 after being the No. 4 draft pick in ‘78.

(Longtime 76ers fans might remember him from 1984, when the Nets upset the reigning champion Sixers in the first round of the playoffs.)

Amir’s mother is French-Moroccan, which made him eligible for those two countries and the United States. He played for France’s under-20s, then Morocco’s under-23s, and reportedly turned down an approach from the U.S. last year to stay with the Atlas Lions.

» READ MORE: Jim Curtin wasn’t surprised by Gregg Berhalter’s firing, and still wants to help the USMNT some day