Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's qualification
Encyclopedia
The men's qualification for football tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics
. FIFA restricted entry to players born after January 1, 1985.
UEFA
UEFA announced that the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
tournament in the Netherlands
would also serve as the qualifying tournament for the Olympics. The four semi-finalists from this tournament were awarded UEFA's four places.
The Netherlands
was the first European country to qualify for the Olympics as winner of their group, it will be their first appearance since 1952
. Serbia
was the second European country to qualify for the Olympics as winner of the other group while Belgium
qualified after reaching the semi-finals. The fourth semi-finalist was England
; however, because England competes at the Olympic Games as part of Great Britain
which does not compete in football, the next two highest ranked teams in the tournament, Italy
and Portugal
, contested a playoff for the final place, which was won by Italy.
CONMEBOL
The 2007 South American Youth Championship
tournament in Paraguay
, held in January 2007, served as the qualifying tournament for the Olympics. Brazil
and Argentina
finished first and second, respectively, and qualified for the Olympic tournament.
CONCACAF
and qualified to the Olympic Games as CONCACAF
representatives by advancing to the final of the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
.
CAF
, , and qualified at the 2008 CAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
.
AFC
, , and qualified.
OFC
qualified by winning the 2008 OFC Men's Olympic Football Tournament
.
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and several other cities in the People's Republic of China from 6 August to 23 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23 teams to participate...
. FIFA restricted entry to players born after January 1, 1985.
Qualifications
A total of sixteen teams participated in the finals of the Olympic tournament for men. These finals were- The host nation (automatically qualified)
- Four teams from Europe
- Two teams from South America
- Two teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean
- Three teams from Africa
- Three teams from Asia
- One team from Oceania
UEFAUEFAThe Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
(Europe)
UEFA announced that the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
tournament in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
would also serve as the qualifying tournament for the Olympics. The four semi-finalists from this tournament were awarded UEFA's four places.
The Netherlands
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
was the first European country to qualify for the Olympics as winner of their group, it will be their first appearance since 1952
Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Olympic football tournament signalled the arrival of the 'Golden Team'; the 'Magical Magyars': Hungary. Ferenc Puskás, the great Hungarian known as the 'Galloping Major' for his military title, said of the 1952 competition: "It was during the Olympics that our football first started to...
. Serbia
Serbia national under-21 football team
The Serbia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia....
was the second European country to qualify for the Olympics as winner of the other group while Belgium
Belgium national under-21 football team
The Belgium national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Belgium and is controlled by the Belgian Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
qualified after reaching the semi-finals. The fourth semi-finalist was England
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
; however, because England competes at the Olympic Games as part of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
which does not compete in football, the next two highest ranked teams in the tournament, Italy
Italy national under-21 football team
The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
and Portugal
Portugal national under-21 football team
The Portugal national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation . They are nicknamed "Esperanças." Esperança means hope, thus they are Portugal's hopes for the future...
, contested a playoff for the final place, which was won by Italy.
CONMEBOLCONMEBOLThe South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
(South America)
The 2007 South American Youth Championship2007 South American Youth Championship
The 2007 South American Youth Championship is a football competition contested by all ten U-20 national football teams of CONMEBOL. The tournament was held in Paraguay between January 7 and January 28, 2007, it was the 23rd time the competition has been held and the 4th to take place in Paraguay...
tournament in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, held in January 2007, served as the qualifying tournament for the Olympics. Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
finished first and second, respectively, and qualified for the Olympic tournament.
CONCACAFCONCACAFThe Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
(North, Central America and Caribbean)
and qualified to the Olympic Games as CONCACAFCONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
representatives by advancing to the final of the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
The 2008 CONCACAF Men Pre-Olympic Tournament was an association football tournament that took place in three venues in the United States from March 11 to March 23, 2008....
.
CAFConfederation of African FootballThe Confederation of African Football is the administrative and controlling body for African association football.CAF represents the national football associations of Africa, runs continental, national, and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those...
(Africa)
, , and qualified at the 2008 CAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament2008 CAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
Preliminary competition will be divided in three rounds. First two rounds will be knock-out rounds, and the final round will be a group stage.-First round:First leg played on September 1 to September 3, 2006. Second leg played on October 6 to October 8, 2006....
.
AFCAsian Football ConfederationThe Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
(Asia)
, , and qualified.OFCOceania Football ConfederationThe Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
(Oceania)
qualified by winning the 2008 OFC Men's Olympic Football Tournament2008 OFC Men's Olympic Football Tournament
The 2008 OFC Men's Olympic Football Tournament functioned as the qualifying tournament to the association football competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing for the member nations of the Oceania Football Confederation. The tournament consisted of a single round-robin tournament played in...
.