5 top-class football players for whom Olympics were their first major tournament

Neymar (left) and Oscar (right) started their international careers at the London Olympics

The Olympic Games have a history of producing talented athletes and players and giving them a platform to showcase their talent. The Games have helped innumerable athletes to make a name for themselves. Some of them have performed well at the Games and then faltered, but the others have taken the Olympics as a stepping stone and gone on to achieve much better things in their sport.

We look at the football players who first played at the Olympics for their national side and then became a regular for their nation, going on to achieve glory and making a career for themselves. The names of the following players are selected keeping in mind that they went on to make their senior national team debut after the Olympic Games, hence, making the Games their first major tournament:

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#1 Neymar (Brazil)

Neymar started his career with a silver medal at the London Olympics 

The Barcelona man is the most notable name on the list. He is considered as one of the best of his generation and he’s still just 24 years old. There is no doubt as to what the Brazilian is capable of doing on his day. He had helped his boyhood club Santos and is now helping Barcelona in achieving glory. 

It was in 2012 when Neymar represented Brazil at the London Olympics, when he was just 20 years old. He led them to the final of the tournament, Barcelona realised his potential and quickly sealed a deal to bring the man to Camp Nou after the conclusion of the Games.

Brazil had found their new star man who could take the country forward and lead them to success. The 24-year old has since played regularly for his national side.