Three months and a day before the action gets under way The final countdown to the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Football Tournaments London 2012 began at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday as the draw for the group phases of both competitions was held.
Three months and a day before the action gets under way, the venue for both finals provided a suitably imposing setting for the event, which determined the path the teams must take if they are to claim gold.
Former England centre-forward Gary Lineker hosted the ceremony, held in the Bobby Moore Room, while legendary Brazilian goal machine Ronaldo and pop singer Melanie C stepped up on stage to help pull the names out of the hats.
Also lending their assistance as the fate of the qualifying nations was revealed were ex-Wales international Robbie Savage, former Scotland forward Kevin Gallacher and England’s national women’s team striker Kelly Smith.
In the women’s competition, reigning world champions Japan will take on Canada in their opening game, while defending Olympic champions USA were pitched against France to start the tournament. The hosts will face Senegal and New Zealand in the men’s and women’s opening games respectively.
Following the draw Men's Great Britain coach Stuart Pearce said: "Uruguay will be tough but I wouldn't dismiss anyone. The addition of three overage players can contribute to a really strong side. It will be tough, tournament football always is. Everyone in the squad will have star quality but I'll pick the squad on merit."
His Women's counterpart Hope Powell was similarly focused on a South American match-up. "Brazil will be a great game at Wembley, they are always there or thereabouts in major tournaments. Now it is down to our preparations. We have every chance of progressing but we can't take it lightly. We played New Zealand in the World Cup last year and it was a very tough encounter. Cameroon are an unknown quantity."
Powell was also optimistic about the wider reaching impact of the tournament. "This gives us a great opportunity to showcase out sport, we open the Olympics and hopefully we can encourage more females to get into the sport."
Switzerland coach Pierluigi Tami was cautious after seeing his side drawn in Group B. He said: "It's not an easy group. We will face three strong teams who reflect the football values of their country. On the paper Mexico is the strongest team. Korea Republic and Gabon are two teams which are physically very strong and fast.
"All three opponents have qualified as the first team of their continent. That's a sign of their quality. We want to qualify for the quarter-final. It is something unique to take part in the Olympics. We want to enjoy that feeling as long as possible."
The groups
Men’s Olympic Football Tournament
Group A: Great Britain, Senegal, UAE, Uruguay
Group B: Mexico, Korea Republic, Gabon, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Egypt, Belarus, New Zealand
Group D: Spain, Japan, Honduras, Morocco
Women’s Olympic Football Tournament
Group E: Great Britain, New Zealand, Cameroon, Brazil
Group F: Japan, Canada, Sweden, South Africa
Group G: USA, France, Colombia, Korea DPR
Men’s Groups
Group A
Great Britain enter the games as hosts, appearing for the first time since Rome 1960, and won three of the first four instalments of the tournament. Senegal are making their first appearance at the games, having negotiated their way through last night’s play-off game in Coventry against Oman, winning 2-0. UAE are making their debut in the tournament, being the only unseeded AFC team to make it through the qualifying tournament, making it out of a tough group containing Australia, Iraq and Uzbekistan. Uruguay are making their first appearance at the games since their dominance back in the 1920s, when the side won gold at both Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928.
Group B
Mexico are making their ninth appearance at the games, coming in as the winners of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, but no team from the region has won a medal in over 100 years. Korea Republic are the recent stalwarts of the competition, having appeared in the last seven competitions (since Seoul hosted the games in 1988) but only reached the knockout stages once – in Athens 2004. Gabon are making their debut in the tournament, but come into the games as the winner of the CAF qualifying tournament. Switzerland make their first appearance at the Olympics for over 80 years, after impressing many to finish second in the UEFA European U-21 Football Championships.
Group C
Brazil triumphed at the 2011 South American Youth Championship to make their way to the games, with an Olympic gold the only major football tournament the nation has yet to win, claiming two silver and two bronze medals in the last 30 years. Egypt are the African team who have qualified the most times for the games (11), but this will be their first appearance in 20 years and they are yet to claim a medal. Belarus make their first appearance at the games. They were the surprise package at the UEFA European U-21 Football Championships, qualifying from their group by the tightest of margins before going on to beat the Czech Republic in the Olympic play-off. New Zealand make their second successive appearance, having never qualified for a tournament before Beijing 2008.
Group D
Spain come into the tournament as winners of the UEFA European U-21 Football Championships and are the most successful European side of the last 30 years, winning gold at Barcelona 1992 and silver eight years later. Japan have appeared in the last five tournaments and are Asia’s only ever medal winners, claiming bronze at Mexico 1968. They are also Asia’s joint-most successful qualifiers. Honduras are appearing in their second successive tournament and third overall – all coming since the turn of the millennium. Morocco are now Africa’s second most successful side in Olympic qualifying (seven), overtaking former gold medal winners Cameroon and Nigeria with this year’s appearance.
Women’s Groups
Group E
Great Britain arrive as hosts, making their first appearance in the tournament and as a women’s team full stop. New Zealand make their second appearance at the games, finishing tenth in Beijing 2008, having beaten Papua New Guniea to make it to this year’s games. Cameroon make their debut appearance at the games, having seen off tournament regulars Nigeria on penalties in the CAF Women’s Pre-Olympic tournament. Brazil come into the tournament after two successive silver medal finishes, having made it to the final four in every tournament so far, with Marta leading them to victory in the South American Women’s Football Championship and qualification this time around.
Group F
Japan come into the tournament as FIFA Women’s World Cup winners, after having a fantastic 2011, and narrowly missed out on the bronze medal at the last tournament’s instalment. Canada make their second trip to the games, following an eighth-placed finish at Beijing 2008, having finished second to the USA in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament – where captain Christine Sinclair top scored with nine goals. Sweden have appeared at every edition of the women’s tournament, reaching the bronze medal match in Athens 2004, and reached London 2012 having finished third at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011. South Africa make their debut at the tournament after seeing off Ethiopia in their final game of the CAF Women’s Pre-Olympic tournament.
Group G
In five instalments of the competition so far the USA have been in every final, only losing once – to Norway at Sydney 2000, and reach this year’s games after triumphing at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament. France make it to their first Olympic games having finished fourth at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup as the second-highest finishing European side. Colombia also are taking part in their first games, having finished as runners-up to Brazil in the South American Women’s Football Championship. Korea DPR made their deput at Beijing 2008, where they finished ninth, before finishing second in the Women's Asian Qualifiers to make it to London 2012.