Introducing the 2024 Olympics at Parc des Princes, U23 Uzbekistan and U23 Spain will compete to win the right to continue in Group C, where U23 Egypt and U23 Dominican Republic are present.
Immediately after the national team's success at EURO 2024, the Spanish U23 team also received more expectations and attention. According to tournament regulations, coach Santi Denia's squad only uses players born in 2001 or later, with a maximum of 3 over-age players.
Some of this year's EURO champion stars attended the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, including Unai Simon, Pedri, Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal. But this time, the young pillars of the team will not be present in Paris. La Roja still has a famous La Liga players, including Barcelona duo Fermin Lopez and Pau Cubarsi.
Spain qualified for its 12th Olympics thanks to its runner-up position at the 2023 European U21 Championship, and will now aim for its first gold medal since 1992.
In contrast to Spain, Uzbekistan is participating in Olympic football for the first time, having never qualified before. Like Spain, Uzbekistan also lost in the U23 Asian final to Japan.
After reaching the top 2 of the tournament twice - but not during the Olympic years, Uzbekistan finally got a ticket to the world's biggest sports festival. Roma striker Eldor Shomurodov will be one of three over-age players coming to France with Asian representatives.
Probable teams:
U23 Uzbekistan: Nematov; Mirsaidov, Khamraliev, Khusanov, Yuldashev; Buriev, Kholmatov; Fayzullaev, Jaloliddinov, Odilov; Shomurodov
Spain U23: Tenas; Pubill, Garcia, Cubarsi, Miranda; Baena, Barrios, Bernabe; Lopez, Ruiz, Omorodion
