Great Britain vs. Brazil: British Players Who Must Step Up After Exhibition Loss

Olympic friendlies serve the purpose of allowing teams to work together in game situations, try out some different tactics and gauge their progress against other teams in a game situation. After Great Britain's 0-2 loss at the hands of the Brazilians, it's clear that Great Britain has a long way to go before posing any type of threat in the games.

Great Britain qualifies for the 2012 Olympics as the host team—2012 will be the first year Great Britain is represented since 1960. Without any semblance of Olympic experience in recent games, the British team comes into the games with a ton of questions.

A shutout loss to Brazil isn't the end of the world for the British—the Brazilians will be among the best teams in the games. However, if the British want to put on a respectable showing they will need some of their biggest stars to step up and shoulder the load for the team.

Daniel Sturridge

Perhaps the most exciting of Great Britain's young talents on the team is Sturrdige. Sturridge brings remarkable athleticism and quickness to the team and can pose a huge threat for the British offensive. 

Craig Bellamy offers more experience as one of the three players over the age of 23 on the roster, but Sturridge will provide the best combination of youth and experience at the forward position.

The 22-year-old played for Chelsea in league play recently where he had a breakout season of sorts. In 28 appearance, he netted 11 goals and tallied five assists. His experience on an elite club such as Chelsea is enough to qualify him as a leader for this British team.

For the British to succeed going forward, they will need Sturridge to find a way to score.

Ryan Giggs

With only one warm-up game before the Olympics start, Great Britain suffered from a severe lack of chemistry against the Brazilians. While the kind of teamwork and communication that win on the international level isn't formed in a few weeks, they will need to gel quickly if they hope to put in a solid performance.

There isn't much any one individual player can do for an entire team's chemistry, but midfielder Ryan Giggs is the man to bring some sense of unity to the team's defense and offensive attack. 

At 38-years-old, Giggs is by far the oldest player on the Olympic team, and his leadership will need to be spot-on if this team is to play its best. Giggs has been playing internationally since 1991, when he first appeared for Wales.

With a wealth of international experience, Giggs may not provide much in terms of statistics, but he needs to live up to his billing as captain for this team to succeed.

Jack Butland

Despite giving up two goals, Jack Butland was one of the bright spots against Brazil. 

The 19-year-old established himself as the team's top goalie and should cover for some of the holes the British defense may have. Butland's performance against Brazil was deceivingly good, as he showed great athleticism in the goal. 

Giving up two goals per game won't work out well for the British, but it is important to keep in mind that Brazil will be one of the best offensive teams to compete in the Olympics. Butland will have his opportunity to shine against much weaker competition.

With Butland in goal, the British have a real chance to put on a much better showing than their shutout loss to the Brazilians.