Men's Olympic football outright winner predictions, odds and betting tips: Spain can make it a summer to remember

When does the men's Olympic football tournament start?

2pm Wednesday

Where can I watch the men's Olympic football tournament?

 Coverage is available on BBC, BBC iPlayer, Eurosport 1 & discovery+

Men's Olympic football predictions & best bets

Spain to win Men’s Olympic Football
2pts 11-4 general

Men's Olympic football odds

France 9-4
Spain 11-4
Argentina 3-1
Morocco 13-1
USA 22-1
Ukraine 25-1
Paraguay 25-1

Men's Olympic football predictions

Three teams dominate the betting in pursuit of Olympic gold in the men’s football but Spain can make it a summer to remember by following up this month’s European Championship triumph and eclipsing the efforts of host nation France and Copa America winners Argentina.

It is a very different line-up from the one that overcame England in the Euro final in Berlin, and teams are allowed to feature only three players over the age of 23, but that success should be an indication of the star quality La Roja are currently producing.

There will be no Lamine Yamal, Pedri or Nico Williams, all young enough to play in Paris, but Villarreal’s Alex Baena, the leading-assist maker in the Spanish top-flight last season, and Fermin Lopez of Barcelona were members of that squad and are on Olympic duty.

Juan Miranda, Sergio Gomez and Abel Ruiz are the over-age players in a squad that is packed with rising stars from La Liga, also including Atletico ace Pablo Barrios and Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsi, who became the youngest defender to start in the quarter finals of the Champions League last season.

Defensively Spain look seriously strong, with Miranda and Girona duo Eric Garcia and Miguel Gutierrez also in the squad, and then they have the obvious creative flair and match-winners in abundance to suggest that they can go one better than when beaten to gold by Brazil at Tokyo 2020.

Santi Denia’s side may also have a slightly easier group to contend with than market rivals France and Argentina, and they are unlikely to struggle against Uzbekistan, Egypt or the Dominican Republic.

If things go as expected that may mean a semi-final showdown against France, whose over-age players are Bayern’s new recruit Michael Olise, his former Crystal Palace teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta and the prolific Alexandre Lacazette.

They too have their fair share of up-and-coming talents but Thierry Henry has a bit to prove following tough managerial spells with Monaco and Montreal Impact, while they were group-stage casualties four years ago, crashing out to hosts Japan and Mexico.

Conmebol nations have such a dominant Olympic record - they have won four of the last five tournaments - that 2004 and 2008 champions Argentina have to be feared.

World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, fresh from helping his country claim a record 16th Copa America title  this month, is the star turn of the tournament and is joined in the camp by the experienced Nicolas Otamendi and Thiago Almada.

However, they may be more reliant on their seasoned stars than star-studded France or Spain and they warmed up for the tournament with a 1-0 defeat to Guinea. A group including Ukraine and Morocco may pose its problems, too.

There are a few medal no-hopers but Morocco and Paraguay, two of those next in the betting at 13-1 and 25-1, would make most appeal outside the big three. That said, it would be a major shock were all of the illustrious trio to be upstaged.

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