Complete Guide to Men's Soccer at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Soccer at the 2016 Olympic Games begins on Thursday, with 16 teams vying for the coveted gold medal.
Defending champions Mexico enter as one of the favorites alongside hosts Brazil, who will be under a massive amount of pressure to succeed after the national team's recent shortcomings.
The tournament is an under-23 one for the men, but each team is allowed to have three overage players in its 18-man squad.
Continue reading for a complete guide to the men's soccer tournament at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Format
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Just like most major competitions, the teams at the 2016 Olympics are separated into four groups.
Each team will participate in three group matches over the span of six days, starting on Thursday.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinal round, which will be played on August 13.
The semifinals will be played in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo on August 17, and the final will be contested at the Maracana Stadium in Rio on August 20.
Venues
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The historic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro will be the primary location for men's soccer at the Olympics. The ground will host one of the two semifinals and the gold-medal match on August 20.
The controversial Arena da Amazonia in Manaus will be used once again after its debut in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The stadium, set in the Amazon, will play host to the first four matches in Group B.
The other venues being used for Olympic soccer this summer are the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia, the Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange in Rio, Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo and the Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.
Players to Watch
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Neymar, Forward, Brazil
Every eyeball in Brazil will be focused on Neymar when he steps onto the pitch for the Selecao during the Olympics.
The Barcelona man was held out of June's Copa America Centenario so he could focus on helping Brazil secure an Olympic gold medal on home soil.
If the Selecao redeem themselves from their awful exit at the World Cup two years ago (Germany beat them 7-1 in the semifinals) with a gold medal, the collective mindset of the national team would shift back to where it once was.
Leon Goretzka, Midfield, Germany
One of the top players in the loaded Germany squad is Schalke 04's Leon Goretzka.
The 21-year-old will be a vital part of the team because of his play in the middle of the park.
If he shines for Horst Hrubesch's side in Brazil, his stock at the club and international levels would rise significantly.
Sergio Oliveira, Midfield, Portugal
Sergio Oliveira is looking to bank off his success at the 2015 European Under-21 Championship in Brazil as one of the older players in the Portugal squad.
The box-to-box midfielder was superb during Portugal's run to the final of the U21 Euros a year ago, and he is a rising star at FC Porto.
Erick "Cubo" Torres, Forward, Mexico
Eighteen months ago, Erick "Cubo" Torres seemed to be on the verge of superstardom because of his exploits in Major League Soccer with the now-defunct Chivas USA, but a miserable time with the Houston Dynamo has led to a decline in minutes and form.
Many in Mexico and those who watched him shine for Chivas USA will be hoping he returns to his old goalscoring form as El Tri chase gold.
Group A Preview
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Teams: Brazil, South Africa, Iraq and Denmark.
As you've probably heard, the pressure is on Brazil's men's soccer team to succeed at the Olympics after the embarrassing exit two years ago at the World Cup.
If the Selecao falter in their opener against South Africa in Brasilia on Thursday, it would only add to their issues. The senior team suffered heartbreak at the Copa America Centenario, as they crashed out of the tournament in the group stage.
Losing to South Africa is unlikely given how much the young squad, led by Neymar, wants to prove it is capable of winning a major tournament on home soil.
The other three sides in the group will be playing for second. Denmark should finish second based off their international pedigree. The Danes made the semifinals at the U21 Euros in 2015 and they are on top of their qualification group for the 2017 U21 Euros.
The group finale between Brazil and Denmark in Salvador on August 10 could end up deciding first place if Brazil slip up at some point.
Group B Preview
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Teams: Sweden, Colombia, Nigeria and Japan.
Nigeria and Japan come into Rio 2016 with the most Olympic pedigree in Group B.
Nigeria won the gold medal in 1996 and bronze in 2008. Japan's best Olympic finish came in 2012, when they came in fourth.
Despite their history at the senior level, Sweden and Colombia are both playing in their first Olympics since 1992.
The highest-profile names playing in Group B are Colombia's Teofilo Gutierrez and Nigeria's John Obi Mikel.
The play in Group B may not be phenomenal since the first four matches of the group take place at Arena Amazonia in Manaus.
If you try to pick a winner of the group based off Olympic history, Nigeria and Japan seem like the favorites, but any of the four sides could come out on top.
Group C Preview
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Teams: Fiji, South Korea, Mexico and Germany.
Mexico are the defending champions of the Olympic tournament, and they have a stacked squad led by the experienced Oribe Peralta and Jorge Torres Nilo.
El Tri also have a few exciting young names on the roster. Cubo and Hirving Lozano should make a name for themselves during the competition. Torres is looking to revive his career after a slump with the Houston Dynamo, while Lozano is one of the bright young stars waiting to break out.
As surprising as it sounds, Germany haven't qualified for the Olympics since 1988. Germany's packed roster includes Matthias Ginter, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry and Max Meyer. The big test for the Germans will come in their first match of the tournament, as they take on Mexico in Salvador.
South Korea and Fiji are seen as the underdogs to get out this group. If either side advances to the knockout stages, it would be because of a major failure by either Mexico or Germany.
Group D Preview
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Teams: Algeria, Argentina, Honduras and Portugal.
Just like Group C, Group D possesses a pair of soccer giants and two underdogs looking to make a major statement on the international level.
Argentina enter Rio with one of the best Olympic histories, winning gold medals in Athens and Beijing as well as a silver in Atlanta. However, the Albiceleste also haven't qualified for two of the last five tournaments.
Portugal may not have a rich Olympic history, but they have a strong squad. If Portugal draw their opening match with Argentina on Thursday, they will be in great shape to advance. Even if they lose the opener, Portugal have a chance to finish second if they take care of Algeria and Honduras.
Honduras moved out of the group stage in London four years ago, but they face an uphill task against two of the most talented sides in the competition.
Algeria are making their first appearance in the Olympic soccer competition. The Fennecs will be playing with nothing to lose, and they could turn out to be the surprise team of the tournament if they benefit from that mentality.
