NO BRITAIN?

Four years ago it was a privilege to visit old Trafford and then Wembley to watch some Olympic football. Suarez and Uruguay beat UAE 1-2 and then Team GB had a gentle draw with Senegal. It seemed like family fun as far as GB was concerned;  the result didn't seem to matter. We were lucky to see as the final at The Wembley "Club" (touch of hospitality) watching Mexico beat Brazil.

Some sources record an Olympic Football Tournament in 1896 with a team from Athens playing Smyrna from the Ottoman Empire! Sensible sources do record matches in 1900 and 1904 although FIFA did not recognise the competition. GB "won" 1900 (actually represented by Upton Park FC from West Ham), 1908 and 1912 Golds.

After the 1st World War (1920) the tournament took off and saw the "rise of the Uruguayans", one of the major forces in World Football for the next two decades. East European countries seemed to dominate for several decades with Argentina twice and Mexico in the last three tournaments.

Women were invited to play in 1996 with the USA champions three times out of four. Norway won in Sydney.

This year some of the best goals in this year's Men's competition so far are recorded here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOlq5yZzCH0

If you haven't shown a lot of interest in the Olympic football, shame on you. It has however carried on without you and the reigning champions, Brazil, have not exactly hit the spot, much to the annoyance of their fans.

Qualification has been going on since 2014 with tournaments held in 6 continents. In the Men, Brazil are hosts so they play along with 15 others. The Women include Brazil and 11 others.

Here is an update on what has gone on so far.
Brazil with two disappointing draws have won their Group A with Denmark second. (others were S Africa and Iraq)
Group B won by Nigeria, second Colombia and then came Japan and Sweden.
Group C won by Republic of Korea, the Germany and the rest were Mexico!! and Fiji. Not quite sure how the qualification happened but Fiji have conceded 23 goals in three games and scored once.
Group D won by Portugal, second Honduras, followed by Argentina and Algeria.

Saturday's Quarter-Finals are
Portugal v Germany, Nigeria v Denmark, Korea Rep v Honduras, Brazil v Colombia

The Women line up thus: USA v Sweden, Australia v Brazil, Canada v France, Germany v China.

GB Team 1908 including Vivien Woodard of Tottenham and others from Oxford University, Clapton FC, Woking and Leicester Fosse.