Tokyo Olympics 2020: Australia Football Team Preview and Squad

Men’s football games will finally be kicking off at this year’s Tokyo Olympics 2020 from 22nd of July following a long pause due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. The tournament will see 16 top teams fight each other out for the prestigious Gold medal for their respective nation tallies. The teams have been divided into 4 groups of 4 each, from which two would qualify for the knockout rounds from every group and make their way to the finals for the ultimate glory.

22 players have been allowed in the roster for each team instead of the usual 18 with the restrictions of players being less than 23 years age and be born on or after January 1, 1997, with an exception of three overage players for each team.

Australia Football Team Preview

Australia were Quarter-finalists in Melbourne 1956 and again in Seoul 32 years later, but their best ever result came at 1992 Barcelona Olympics A when a team including names like Ned Zelic, Mark Bosnich and Paul Okon finished fourth.

Australia suffered group stage eliminations in Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, before making the last eight in Athens 2004, followed with another group stage exit in 2008 , the last time the Olyroos qualified for the football tournament.

Only eight of the squad members who had finished third in the U23 AFC Championship in Thailand last year have been included in the travelling party to Japan by the Socceroos’ national team coach Graham Arnold, among whom are D’Agostino, goalkeeper Tom Glover and Melbourne City midfielder Connor Metcalfe.

They are joined by senior international reinforcements Riley McGree, Harry Souttar and 30-year-old striker Mitchell Duke – who is the only overage player called-up by Arnold. Marco Tillo and Jay Rich-Baghuelou replaced Ramy Najjarine and Ruon Tongyik in the final team at the last minute.

Australia Football Team Fixtures

Australia are pitted in a difficult group C opposite to heavyweights like Spain and Argentina and also feature CAF champions Egypt.

Olyroos will be kicking off their campaign against two time gold medallists Argentina on 22nd July in Sapporo followed by a clash with favourites Spain on 25th July, and Egypt on 28th July.

Australia Squad for Olympics

Goalkeepers: Tom Glover, Ashley Maynard-Brewer, Jordan Holmes.

Defenders: Nathaniel Atkinson, Thomas Deng, Joel King, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar, Jay Rich-Baghuelou.

Midfielders: Keanu Baccus, Denis Genreau, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Dylan Pierias, Caleb Watts, Cameron Devlin, Marco Tillo.

Forwards: Daniel Arzani, Nicholas D’Agostino, Mitchell Duke*, Reno Piscopo, Lachlan Wales.

Also Read: Tokyo Olympics 2020: Germany Football team Preview and squad

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