The Great Britain men’s Olympic football team is the men ‘s football team that represents the United Kingdom ( Great Britain and Northern Ireland ) [ citation needed ] at the Summer Olympic Games ( where it competes as Great Britain, presently branded Team GB ). The team is organised by the English Football Association ( FA ) as the men ‘s footballing spokesperson of the british Olympic Association. The team only competes in the Olympic Games. In early international football tournaments, the Home Nations of the United Kingdom ( England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ) are represented by their own national teams, a site which pre-dated the institution of a GB team. The team first competed at the FA organised tournament for the 1908 Olympics held in London, which was the first base games that featured example teams using players selected nationally ( prior games in 1900 and 1904 used club teams ). This team and the two that followed in 1912 and 1920 featured only english amateurish players, and is seen by some as merely an reference of the English amateur team, set up in 1906 in reception to the upgrade of the professional game. [ 3 ] In this period the team won the gold decoration at the 1908 and 1912 tournaments, although exited at Round 1 in 1920. A challenge between the FA and FIFA over the inclusion of professionals saw the FA bow out from Olympic football in 1924 and 1928, and saw no football at the Olympics at all in 1932. [ 1 ]
After the creation of the FIFA World Cup, it was agreed that Olympic football would become entirely amateur, [ 4 ] leading to the team competing again in the 1936 Games, this clock incorporating players from early Home Nations. After the break caused by World War II, the team then competed in every games from 1948 until 1972, albeit failing to qualify for the main tournament after 1960. [ 1 ] In this period the team ‘s best performance was one-fourth set in 1948 at the second Games hosted in London, under coach Matt Busby. [ 1 ] After the FA abolished the distinction between amateurish and professional players in 1974, it stopped entering a team. [ 3 ] By the 1992 Games teams could use professionals, but were restricted to players under 23 years old, with merely three over-age players allowed per squad. [ 4 ] Despite this transfer, Great Britain did not enter a football team again until London won the right to host the 2012 Games. [ 6 ] The FA organised the team, with Stuart Pearce appointed director. [ 7 ] A Great Britain women ‘s team besides competed at the 2012 and 2020 Games .
history [edit ]
Origins [edit ]
The FA was formed in London 1863, when thirteen teams met to draw up a shared rule number for football, in order to facilitate matches between clubs. [ 8 ] The question of the geographic remit of this administration does not appear to have been asked, with the FA being formed before the rise of international football. The first football matches between national teams were arranged by the FA, who invited English and scots players to form representative teams. [ 8 ] The scots teams were made up about wholly of scottish residents in England and in order to encourage more scottish based players to compete, an arrangement in Scotland was sought to form the scottish team. [ 8 ] For the 1872 game between Scotland and England in Glasgow, Queen ‘s Park Football Club took on this function, and this game is now recognised as the first external catch. [ 9 ] Within a year, the Scottish Football Association ( SFA ) was founded to facilitate these matches, and to organise football in Scotland more broadly. The third base national football association, the Football Association of Wales was founded in 1876 and a fourth, the Irish Football Association, ( IFA ), was founded in 1880. The practice of playing internationals between the four countries of the United Kingdom ( besides known as the home nations ) was thus developed before football associations were developed elsewhere in the world and, no ‘United Kingdom football association ‘ was ever formed. [ 1 ] Outside of the UK, the first national associations were formed in 1889 ( in Denmark and the Netherlands ), [ 1 ] and these besides began to pick their own national teams. When football was included at the 1900 Olympics, however, many nations were however struggling to raise a team, [ 1 ] and so club teams entered alternatively. Upton Park represented the UK, winning the gold decoration. [ 3 ]
Great Britain squad that won the gold decoration in 1908 For the 1908 Olympic Games in London, the FA persuaded the IOC to include an official football tournament, which they organised. [ 3 ] A team, made up wholly of English players, was entered. [ 10 ] Some sources continue to refer to this team as the England national amateur football team, [ 3 ] whilst others silent plainly label all participations as Great Britain. [ 11 ] Although the team competed as the United Kingdom and are listed as such, the official match report refers to “ the English team ”. [ 12 ] The Scottish Football Association passed a resolution to “ protest against one National body in the british Isles being termed the United Kingdom, or playing as such without the consent of the other three National Associations ”. The solution was read at the next confluence of the International Football Association Board. In answer, “ [ t ] he Football Association representatives explained that this was the name given by the authorities, and that therefore far as the Football Association was concerned they had nothing to do with the matter. The scots Association were satisfied with this answer. ” [ 13 ] At the 1908 Olympics, “ Great Britain and Ireland ” won all three of their matches, defeating Sweden and Netherlands in the first two rounds. They met Denmark in the concluding, defeating them 2–0 with goals from Vivian Woodward and Frederick Chapman. [ 14 ]
The team repeated this success at the 1912 Games. [ 15 ] [ 16 ] Again, Britain won all three matches and defeated Denmark in the final examination, this meter 4–2. Woodward, who scored in the previous final, was captain for this tournament. [ 17 ] At the 1920 Summer Games, Britain lost in the first beat in a surprise kill to Norway. [ 18 ] Britain had played lone amateur players, while other nations selected their team from all available players. [ 19 ] The tournament formed part of a rift which developed between the FA, who wanted the Olympics to remain an amateur entirely competition, and FIFA, who were keen on having a full football world championship. [ 20 ] This resulted in the FA leaving FIFA, vitamin a well as withdrawing from the 1924 and 1928 football tournaments. [ 21 ] Eventually, however, an agreement was reached in which the Olympic football tournament would be for amateur players only, with the FIFA World Cup created to include all players, professional and amateur. [ 21 ] There was no football tournament at the 1932 games, indeed Britain ‘s return to Olympic football came at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Great Britain were defeated in the quarter-finals, losing 5–4 to Poland. [ 22 ]
Following the second World War, Great Britain competed in all Olympic football tournaments from 1948 through to 1972. The 1948 tournament, which was hosted in London, was the team ‘s most successful. By this meter, it was recognised that Britain ‘s amateur players were not of the lapp quality as they had been in earlier years, due to the rise of the professional game. [ 23 ] By line, teams in nations which had not so far developed master leagues were able to battlefield their strongest sides. [ 23 ] Manager Matt Busby trained a squad made up of players from all of the ‘ home nations ‘, [ 23 ] and Britain progressed to the semi-final with wins over the Netherlands and France. Having lost the semi-final to Yugoslavia, Britain once again face Denmark. This time, however, they were defeated 5–3 and missed out on a bronze decoration. [ 24 ] Wembley Stadium hosted Great Britain ‘s final two matches, though they besides played at Craven Cottage and Highbury. After 1948, Great Britain were never a meaning threat at the Olympics again. They were eliminated after losing their first step match to Luxembourg in 1952, [ 1 ] and qualified for the 1956 only after other teams withdrew, before being beaten by Bulgaria in the quarter-finals. [ 1 ] Their concluding appearance at an Olympic Games came in 1960. [ 25 ] The team was again selected from all of the home nations, with matches between the national amateur sides being used to choose a best 19. [ 25 ] Great Britain were eliminated in the first round, losing one, drawing one and winning one of their three matches. [ 25 ] After that Great Britain failed to qualify for the future three Olympics, with their final examination match being a 5–0 qualifying orotund defeat by Bulgaria [ 15 ] in 1971 following a 1–0 victory at Wembley Stadium against the lapp team. [ 26 ] In 1974, the Football Association stopped recognising a eminence between professionals and amateurs, with all player subsequently registered simply as ‘players ‘, whether paid or unpaid. [ 27 ] This ended the universe of the England amateur team, which had always been the basis for the british Olympic team. As such, the FA stopped entering a football team into Olympic competition .
For the 1984 Summer Olympics, professional footballers were allowed to compete at the Olympics for the foremost time. [ 4 ] [ 28 ] Initially, European and South american teams were banned from playing players who had competed in the FIFA World Cup, but from the 1992 Summer Olympics eligibility for all nations was restricted to players aged under 23, except that three players of any historic period are allowed in the police squad. [ 4 ] Since 1992, the UEFA european Under-21 Championship has acted as the passing tournament for the UEFA nations, which each of the Home Nations record. On three occasions, teams from Great Britain have finished in the qualify positions :
In March 1996, the Scottish National Party proposed that the Scotland U21s should compete in the 1996 Olympics football tournament, having finished one-fourth in the 1996 UEFA european Under-21 Championship. [ 29 ] Scotland would have qualified for the Summer Olympics football tournament twice in sequence, having besides finished fourth in the 1992 edition. The Scottish Football Association ( SFA ) opposed the idea of the Scotland team being sent to the Olympics as they would have had to participate as Great Britain, which the SFA considered would have jeopardised the autonomous status of scots national teams. [ 29 ] The british Olympic Association initially refused to rule out the possibility of entrance for the 2008 Games, [ 30 ] England would have qualified for the 2008 Olympics by reaching the semi-finals of the 2007 Under–21 Championship, but a team was not entered. [ 31 ] Italy took their vacate target by winning a play-off match against Portugal. [ 31 ] The England women ‘s team besides qualified for the 2008 Olympics, through their performance in the 2007 World Cup, but they were denied a set at the Olympics because the early three Home Nations refused to give their accept. [ 32 ]
reformation for London 2012 [edit ]
The BOA released a supporters ‘ shirt for fans of Team GB due to the success of the London 2012 Olympic bid, the United Kingdom gained the right to enter a team in the football tournament as host state. [ 33 ] The british Olympic Association ( BOA ) stated it would enter a football team, but the Scottish Football Association ( SFA ) refused even to attend meetings at which the Home Nations were to discuss the possibility and the Football Association of Wales ( FAW ) withdrew from the negotiations. The Irish Football Association ( representing Northern Ireland ) stated in October 2007 that they would not take part in a unite team, leaving the Football Association ( England ) as the only association will to take contribution. The SFA ‘s confrontation to the plans were rooted chiefly in the fear that the Home Nations would be forced to plain a unite team in all competitions. This would mean the loss of the especial condition of the Home Nations, established under FIFA ‘s constitution. [ 36 ] respective fans, politicians and sports-people all gave their opinions with regards to the creation of a team. A 2005 impression poll published by the BOA claimed that a majority of Scots supported the initiation of a british team for the 2012 Olympics. [ 37 ] A joint statement issued by the official fan clubs of all four Home Nations voiced their enemy to the design. [ 38 ] Various outstanding politicians besides offered their public opinion as to whether there should be a british team in the 2012 Olympics. Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated during the 2008 Olympics that he wanted a british team and would work towards that happening, although he acknowledged that it could affect the autonomy of the Home Nations. [ 39 ] First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond then stated his confrontation to a british team, arguing that Brown must be “ badly out of touch with Scotland ” to support it. [ 40 ] FIFA President Sepp Blatter initially assured each of the british Associations that their condition would not be affected by fielding a aggregate team in 2012. [ 41 ] The SFA refused to change its side, arguing that Blatter ‘s personal opinion and permission might not matter once he has left function, and that they did not wish to jeopardise their condition. Blatter seemed to change his view in March 2008, when he stated that “ they should enter only a team composed of players from England ” [ 42 ] and he suggested that the independent status of the four british associations could be harmed by a coordinated team. [ 42 ] UEFA foreman administrator David Taylor, a early headman executive of the SFA, said in August 2008 that a british Olympic team would threaten the being of the individual home nations. [ 43 ] Taylor besides said that the unique condition of the Home Nations had come under attack before from other FIFA members, and that it was “ unmanageable to see what guarantees could be given ” to protect that condition. [ 43 ] At a league held in concurrence with the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, the prognosis of a UK team for the 2012 Olympics was discussed by the FIFA Executive Committee, who gave their approval. [ 44 ]
The executive committee confirmed that the engagement in the 2012 London Olympic Games of a single team representing Great Britain would not affect the existing individual status of the four british football associations. For the Olympic Games, they have to play in one entity. The ball is now in their turf. We expect a solution that will be presented to us for the month of March. [ 44 ]
From the global of sport, worldly concern 400 meter hurdles champion Dai Greene said that he felt that there should not be an Olympic football tournament because the Olympics is not the pinnacle of that sport. [ 45 ] He besides expressed fears that coverage of the football team would overshadow interest in the other competitors. [ 45 ] Sebastian Coe, the director of the 2012 Olympics, regularly spoke out in support of the team. [ 46 ] A compromise was finally reached between the four associations, whereby a team of English players alone would represent the United Kingdom. [ 6 ] The football associations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales sent a joint letter to FIFA stating that they would not participate, but that they would not object to England participating alone. [ 6 ] This agreement was challenged by the BOA, who wanted to select players from all four countries and claimed it would be potentially discriminatory to lone select english players. [ 47 ] Jim Boyce stated that there is no legal limitation on players being selected by the BOA [ 47 ] and the SFA admitted that it would have no legal grounds to prevent scots players from participating. [ 48 ] It was then confirmed that the FA intended to select players from outside England. [ 7 ] eligible non-English players such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey expressed their desire to play in the team, having posed for a photo-shoot wearing the replica shirts of the team. [ 49 ]
Pre-tournament preparations [edit ]
The FA announced in October 2011 that Stuart Pearce would be the coach. After this announcement, Pearce drew up an initial long-list of players who he wanted to consider for the police squad, and wrote to all of these players to inform them of his option. [ 50 ] Pearce said that players who did not want to be included would be able to inform him of their wishes at that stagecoach. [ 50 ] It was stated in December 2011 that none of the players selected for the England squad for the 2012 UEFA european Championships would be selected, in order to avoid actor tire. [ 51 ] In January 2012, it was revealed that 191 players had been contacted, with 7 declining to be considered for the team. [ 52 ] A far cut was announced in April 2012, with the short list of eligible players reduced to around 80. [ 53 ] The final pre-tournament cut occurred in early June, when a squad of 35 players was submitted to FIFA. [ 54 ] [ 55 ] great Britain were placed in group A for the Olympic tournament prior to the draw. [ 56 ] The draw was held on 24 April 2012 and added Uruguay, United Arab Emirates and Senegal to Great Britain ‘s group. [ 57 ] The final examination 18-man squad for the Olympic Games was announced on 2 July 2012. [ 58 ] A pre-tournament discipline camp was held in Marbella, Spain. [ 59 ] This included a training match against Mexico, which Mexico won 1–0. All players in the team played for between 45 and 75 minutes. [ 59 ] The team then played one official friendly match, against Brazil at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough on 20 July, [ 60 ] which was won 2–0 by Brazil. [ 61 ]
Olympic tournament [edit ]
Great Britain ‘s first equal was a 1–1 draw with Senegal at Old Trafford in Manchester on 26 July. Craig Bellamy scored for Great Britain in the beginning half, but Pape Moussa Konaté scored the counterweight for Senegal from a counter-attack in the 82nd minute. [ 62 ] Their irregular match was a 3–1 gain against the United Arab Emirates at Wembley. A Ryan Giggs header put Great Britain in the star, before Ahmad Ali equalised. Scott Sinclair regained the lead with his first contact of the game after coming on as a alternate, and minutes later, fellow substitute Daniel Sturridge chipped the UAE ‘s goalkeeper to make it 3–1. [ 62 ] Sturridge scored again in the 1–0 victory against Uruguay in their final group game.
Read more: 2015–16 Liverpool F.C. season – Wikipedia
In the smasher stage, Great Britain played South Korea in the quarterfinal attack. The match went to a punishment shoot-out after the score was 1–1, after supernumerary time. Great Britain lost the shoot-out 4–5 after Sturridge missed Britain ‘s one-fifth try, while the Koreans converted all five of their attempts. [ 63 ]
future prospects [edit ]
During the 2012 tournament some players such as Ryan Giggs [ 64 ] and some members of the british Olympic Association [ 65 ] expressed a desire to enter a football team in future Olympics. After Great Britain ‘s elimination from the 2012 Olympics, there were no public plans to reform the team for future Olympic Games, [ 66 ] with Alex Horne, chief-executive of the FA, stating that the FA would not support a future men ‘s football team at the Olympics. [ 67 ] The problem facing any possible future Great Britain team is that there is no mechanism for it to qualify, as the person home nations compete in the qualify competition. [ 68 ] In 2015, the England under-21 coach ( Gareth Southgate ) and the FA Director of Elite Development ( Dan Ashworth ) established as FA policy that the Olympic tournament is a valuable know for minor players. [ 69 ] The FA subsequently advised the other home plate nations that they intended to enter teams in 2016, if either or both of the England teams met the qualification standard. [ 69 ] [ 70 ] This trace was opposed by the Scottish, Welsh and ( Northern ) irish associations. [ 69 ] [ 71 ] Jim Boyce of Northern Ireland, then a vice-president of FIFA, said that he had an assurance that any future Great Britain teams would require the accept of all home nations. [ 71 ] The FA then advised the other home nations that they would not enter teams, with the scots FA saying that the FA had “ undervalue ” resistance to the design. [ 72 ] After Team GB did not enter a team at the 2016 Olympics, British Olympic Association head administrator Bill Sweeney expressed his disappointment and said talks would take put to try to field teams for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. [ 73 ] british Olympic Association vice-chairman and former sports minister Sir Hugh Robertson further stated : “ From the british Olympic Committee ‘s perspective, we would love to see Team GB football ”, whilst fresh England elder team coach Sam Allardyce stated : “ To turn it down is a capital shame. It ‘s something we may look at in the future and try to compete in. ” [ 73 ] Joint talks between all four of the home nations began in September 2016. [ 74 ] FIFA subsequently approved the estimate of a Great Britain team for the 2020 games, but confrontation from the Welsh, Scottish and ( Northern ) Irish FAs continued. [ 75 ] FA headman executive Martin Glenn established that former concerns over the universe of a team were no longer a concern, express : “ The big fear in the past was that if we did it we would jeopardise our independent state condition. But that was sorted out under [ former FIFA president Sepp ] Blatter actually and Gianni Infantino has reinforced it. ” [ 74 ] Glenn revealed that “ FIFA has indicated that it ‘s not a trouble ” and that “ the topic is the individual interests of each home nation. ” [ 74 ] An agreement was reached between the four associations for a women ‘s team to be entered in the 2020 Summer Olympics, with qualification depending on England ‘s operation in the 2019 World Cup, but this did not affect men ‘s football. [ 76 ]
Colours [edit ]
The official kit out for the 2012 Olympics, designed by Stella McCartney and manufactured by Adidas, was unveiled alongside the undifferentiated for all Team GB Olympic competitors in March. [ 77 ] The front of the shirt is modelled on the right side of a union flag, with the colours consisting of white and respective shades of amobarbital sodium in keeping with the invention of the uniforms in other sports. [ 78 ] The second of the shirt is navy blasphemous, as are the shorts and socks. [ 77 ] The kit has a red trim. [ 77 ] The change kit is picket blue and white, with varying shades displaying the lapp marriage flag design as the base kit. [ 79 ] The crest is on the left breast of the shirt, and consists of a white carapace with the generic Team GB logo in blue, with the words London 2012 below it .
Squads [edit ]
composing [edit ]
The composition of the team has varied over time. All players in the 1908, 1912, 1920 and 1956 squads were English, while in other years players from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were all included. [ 1 ] The 2012 team contained 13 English and 5 Welsh players but no scottish or Northern Irish players. [ 58 ] Jack Butland, the one-third option goalkeeper for England, was the lone musician selected for both the Olympics and the England Euro 2012 police squad. [ 80 ] Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy and Micah Richards were selected as the three overage players. [ 81 ] Former England captain David Beckham was shortlisted for the Olympics, but was left out of the final police squad. [ 81 ]
London 2012 team [edit ]
The Great Britain team for the 2012 Olympic Games was announced on 2 July 2012, with Ryan Giggs named as captain. [ 82 ]
- The three over age players are denoted with a *
- Clubs listed are those which held the player’s registration during the Olympics
- Players’ ages are those which the player were at the day of their first game at the Olympics
Records and statistics [edit ]
Olympics record [edit ]
Olympic finals [edit ]
1908 final [edit ]
1912 final [edit ]
Full Olympic record [edit ]
This is a wax round-up of Great Britain ‘s performances at the Olympic Games. [ 84 ] [ 85 ] London 1908
Stockholm 1912
Antwerp 1920
Berlin 1936
- Note: As of 1948, many Eastern Bloc states, such as Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, played with their full national sides in the Olympics, while Britain always competed with an amateur team, as per Olympic requirements.[86][87][88]
London 1948
Helsinki 1952
melbourne 1956
- Note: Britain lost 5–3 on aggregate, but earned a reprieve to compete in Melbourne[87]
Rome 1960
London 2012