An Olympic sport since Paris 1900,
football started with the foundation of the Football Association of England, in 1863.
Football is one of the first team sports to be included in the Olympic
Games. As FIFA wasn't founded until May 1904, the London 1908
Olympics are the first football tournament they recognise.
The women first took part in the Atlanta
1996 Olympic Games; where a record 76,481 people cheered the American women home to
gold, in the final against China.
Professionals footballers are allowed to play in the men's
tournament but they have to be under 23 years old; with the exception of three over-age
players.
1908 was the first Men’s Olympic Football Tournament run under
FIFA auspices.
The men's tournament involves 16 teams, while the women have 12 teams.
Olympic Honours
MEN:
Paris 1900 - Great Britain.
St Louis 1904 - Canada.
London 1908
- Great Britain, Denmark, Holland.
Stockholm
1912 - Great Britain, Denmark, Holland.
Antwerp 1920
- Belgium, Spain, Holland.
Paris 1924
- Uruguay, Switzerland, Sweden.
Amsterdam
1928 - Uruguay, Argentina, Italy.
Los Angeles 1932 - (Football was dropped).
Berlin 1936
- Italy, Austria, Norway.
London 1948
- Sweden, Yugoslavia, Denmark.
Helsinki
1952 - Hungary, Yugoslavia, Sweden.
Melbourne
1956 - Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria.
Rome 1960
- Yugoslavia, Denmark, Hungary.
Tokyo 1964
- Hungary, Czechoslovakia, East Germany.
Mexico City
1968 -- Hungary, Bulgaria, Japan.
Munich 1972
- Poland, Hungary, East Germany and USSR.
Montreal
1976 - East Germany, Poland, Soviet Union.
Moscow 1980
- Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Soviet Union.
Los Angeles
1984 - France, Brazil, Yugoslavia.
Seoul 1988
- Soviet Union, Brazil, East Germany.
Barcelona
1992 - Spain, Poland, Ghana.
Atlanta 1996
- Nigeria, Argentina, Brazil.
Sydney 2000
- Cameroon, Spain, Chile.
Athens
2004 - Argentina, Paraguay, Italy.
WOMEN:
Atlanta
1996 - USA, China, Norway.
Sydney
2000 - Norway, USA, Germany.
Athens
2004 - USA, Brazil, Germany.
Mia Hamm
has been an inspiration to American women's football, winning gold in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, silver in Sydney 2000 and gold again in Athens 2004.
Patrick
Mboma was influential in Cameroon's success at the Sydney
2000 Olympic Games. The African Footballer of the Year also went on to help his
country win the African
Nations Cup, in 2002.
Hungary is the most successful nation in the history of the Olympic
football tournament with gold medals in Helsinki 1952, Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City
1968; a silver in Munich 1972; and bronze in Rome 1960.
            
       
     
FIFA:
The Official web site of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.
1800-WorldCup.com:
World Cup Finals reports from Uruguay 1930 through Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010.
Full 2002 Korea-Japan and France 98 archives as well as a fan's view of USA 94.
The FA:
Football Association of England.
BigSoccer Football Forums
Men's
Olympics Soccer Forum.
Talk
About Women's Olympic Soccer.
World
Cup Football.
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