The 2024 Summer Olympics doesn’t officially open until Friday but the men’s football tournament gets underway today – and there will be a handful of familiar faces involved.
We’ve got all you need to know from a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) perspective in this article.
WHICH PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYERS WILL PLAY AT THE OLYMPICS?
| Player | Club | Country |
| Alex Paulson | Bournemouth | New Zealand |
| Julio Enciso | Brighton and Hove Albion | Paraguay |
| Gabriel Slonina | Chelsea | USA |
| Jean-Philippe Mateta | Crystal Palace | France |
| Henry Gray | Ipswich Town | New Zealand |
| Julian Alvarez | Manchester City | Argentina |
| Boubacar Traore | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Mali |
| Enso Gonzalez | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Paraguay |
Of the players involved in Paris, then, there’s only really Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) who is a nailed starter for his club.
But Julian Alvarez (£7.0m) is usually in the mix at Manchester City. Likewise, Julio Enciso (£5.5m) at Brighton and Hove Albion – with the caveat that the Seagulls have a new manager now.
WHEN DO THE MATCHES TAKE PLACE?
It’s a 16-team tournament, divided into four groups of four nations.
The top two from each group progress to the quarter-finals.
So, those countries making the final or the ‘bronze medal’ match (aka the 3rd/4th place playoff) will have to contest six fixtures in all.
These games will all take place within a period of two and a half weeks:
- Group games: July 24 + 27 + 30
- Quarter-finals: Aug 2
- Semi-finals: Aug 5
- Bronze medal match: Aug 8
- Final: Aug 9
WILL ANYONE MISS GAMEWEEK 1?
Gameweek 1 begins with Manchester United v Fulham on Friday 16 August. Neither team has a representative at the Olympics.
The seven teams who are affected contest their first Premier League matches either on Saturday 17 August (Bournemouth, Brighton, Ipswich, Wolves) or Sunday 18 August (Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Manchester City).
So players should, in theory, have time to recover and return to their clubs before the big domestic kick-off – even if they make the last four in Paris.
Whether any manager calls upon their Olympians in Gameweek 1 is another debate. Each player will have missed the whole of their club’s pre-season training so far, as well as the friendlies.
Match-fitness won’t be an issue, at least: Mateta, for instance, has been training with France. Les Bleus have contested warm-up matches themselves before the action begins today.
It’s more of a question of whether players involved at the Olympics will need a breather. They’ll have had less of a summer break before reporting to national team training. They’ll also have contested up to six competitive matches, rather than friendly kickabouts, befroe Gameweek 1 has even commenced.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE LAST OLYMPICS?
Looking back at historical precedents in football is often of limited use as the players, managers and circumstances are rarely the same.
But, just as an example, there was a mixed bag at the last Olympics football tournament in 2021:
| Player | Club | Country | Last Olympics match | GW1 |
| Gabriel Martinelli | Arsenal | Brazil | 0 mins (Aug 7) | 71 mins (Aug 13) |
| Douglas Luiz | Aston Villa | Brazil | 120 mins (Aug 7) | Didn’t play |
| Richarlison | Everton | Brazil | 114 mins (Aug 7) | 89 mins (Aug 14) |
| Chris Wood | Burnley | New Zealand | 120 mins (Jul 31) | 90 mins (Aug 14) |
| Alexis Mac Allister | Brighton and Hove Albion | Argentina | 55 mins (Jul 28) | 14 mins (Aug 14) |
Early exits for Chris Wood (£6.0m) and Alexis Mac Allister (£6.5m) allowed them a bit of respite before the Premier League kick-off. Mac Allister was yet to establish himself in the Brighton team, hence the Gameweek 1 benching.
Having only been a substitute during the 2020 Olympics, Gabriel Martinelli (£7.0m) started for Arsenal a week after the final.
But so too did Richarlison (£7.0m) for Everton, despite starting all six matches for Brazil. The winger-cum-forward even delivered two attacking returns against Southampton.
Douglas Luiz, however, didn’t feature in Gameweek 1 for Aston Villa. Manager Dean Smith confirmed ahead of that season-opener that the midfielder was to be given a week’s rest, returning for and starting in Gameweek 2.
So, different players and managers last time. But if nothing else, it goes to show how head coaches may have contrasting ideas about post-Olympics rests and recovery. The pre-match press conferences before Gameweek 1 of 2024/25 will be keenly anticipated for any clues.
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