How good and exciting is Olympic football?

For example, the U23 Vietnam team, along with Hung Dung and Trong Hoang, that participated in the recent SEA Games was completely different from the current Vietnam national team captained by Ngoc Hai. But to say that Olympic football is nothing worth watching or talking about is a huge mistake, a very regrettable one. Why?

First and foremost, it's a stage for young football talents from around the world, and a few overage stars are entrusted with leading their younger teammates in a major tournament, essentially a future World Cup.

Football at the Olympics is essentially a World Cup of the future.

Many remember the football of the former Soviet Union, of course retaining the impression of midfielder Mikhailipchenko, an overage player added to the squad, who won a gold medal with the Soviet Olympic team in Seoul in 1988; they remember African youth football that shocked the world with the Nigerian Olympic team's victory over formidable Argentina, in which star Kanu was extremely outstanding and captivating at the 1996 Atalanta Olympics. And just one Olympic Games ago, star Neymar led Brazil to a gold medal, which remains his only world-level achievement to date…

And so, after each Olympic Games, the young players (and even overage players) emerge from the spotlight, having learned many lessons from facing opponents from different continents, with different playing styles, strengths, and weaknesses.

Many people know that Mikhailipchenko later went abroad to play after leaving the Soviet Union (a rare occurrence at the time) and achieved considerable success. Kanu also quickly caught the eye of scouts, and his golden age was associated with Arsenal's resounding success in the English Premier League. As for Neymar, his immense popularity speaks for itself, and the world has spent vast sums of money and the press has devoted countless pages to every touch of the ball, every action on and off the pitch.

Clearly, the Olympics feature many exciting sports, but football remains the number one choice, both men's and women's. This year's Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, were delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so the men's football teams are essentially U24+2. Interestingly, fans and experts are focusing their attention on which overage players have been called up to the Olympic teams this time. These include full-back Alves (Brazil), midfielder Ceballos (Spain), center-back Bailly (Ivory Coast)... However, among the many young players participating in the Olympics, there are some prominent names who recently competed in the EUROs, such as Spanish players Pedri and Olmo, Brazilian player Richarlison, and French player Gignac... In particular, fans and experts will not be able to ignore the performances of the two continental representatives, South Korea and Japan, with familiar stars like Lee Dong-jun, Kim Dong-hiun, and Yosida, Kubo, and Nakayama...

Regardless of the tournament, Brazil is always considered the top contender, and one shouldn't underestimate Argentina or Germany. Don't forget that the African continent always brings surprises, and never underestimate the host nation, Japan this time… In other words, Olympic football also embodies the traditions of top teams, the surprise factor of underdog teams, and teams that have just lost in other tournaments and are now returning here to seek a second chance…

Of course, Olympic football and football in general have a profound influence everywhere, at all times, around the world. It's the aspiration of any football nation, big or small, to have the chance to participate in the Olympic Games at least once, to test themselves, to win, and to... fail, learning valuable lessons for the future.

In Vietnam, both men's and women's football teams have yet to have the opportunity to compete in the Olympics, despite being very close to it, and hopefully this door will open in the near future.