Top 5 most valuable players at Tokyo Olympics 2020 (one per country)
After being pushed back a year from their planned commencement date, Olympics 2021 finally kicked off in emphatic fashion on the 23rd of July, 2021. At the time of writing, Japan and USA have accumulated the most number of gold medals - tied at 8, putting them on the top of the ladder for gold. China, who were on top at the end of Day 3, has now been overtaken by the US in terms of the aggregate medal tally. China has 18 to USA's 19.
With some preliminary rounds having started two days prior to the official opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, the men's football event got underway on July 22nd with a goalless draw between Spain and Egypt.
What footballing countries are participating in the Tokyo Olympics?
After several intricate rounds of qualification, the main event boiled down to 16 teams. These countries were further segregated into four groups of four. The final roster at the Olympics looks like this:
- Group A - Japan, Mexico, France, South Africa
- Group B - Korea Republic, Honduras, New Zealand, Romania
- Group C - Spain, Australia, Argentina, Egypt
- Group D - Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Germany, Saudi Arabia
Of the lot, France records the highest FIFA ranking with 2nd, while New Zealand is placed the lowest at 122. Nevertheless, every country has named a glittering squad to compete for the elusive prize. Here, we take a look at the 5 most valuable players, partaking in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, with only one inclusion per country:
#5 Thiago Almada (Argentina, €20m)
Kicking off our list at number 5, Thiago Almada was called up to represent Argentina at the Olympics, aged just 20. Having already played 80 professional games in senior football, Almada has been contracted to Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield, ever since he laced a pair of boots.
Rumors have connected Almada to every top European club under the sun for quite some time now. A major target for Manchester United and Barcelona in the winter transfer window of 2021, the suave attacker is very close to joining Marseille at the time of writing this.
With 27 goal involvements already under his belt, Almada would be hoping to make his mark at the Olympics. The Albicelestes possess a real gem on their hands and if all the cards are dealt with utmost precision, the 20-year-old playmaker will soon find himself tearing it up for the European big guns.
#4 Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan, €20m)
A surprise entry from the home nation, Takehiro Tomiyasu is Japan's most valuable player at the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old Bologna player has seen a sharp rise in his market value after an impressive 20/21 campaign with the mid-table regulars.
A failed move to Barcelona's La Masia in his younger days prompted the promising defender to join J1 League outfit Avispa Fukuoka. Garnering deserved attention for his stout physicality and versatility to play anywhere in the defence line, Tomiyasu has been linked to a collection of teams including Spurs and Atalanta.
Bologna can benefit immensely if Tomiyasu goes onto have a superlative experience at the Tokyo Olympics. The Japanese stalwart registered 2,719 minutes for the side in Serie A, putting in a respectable 1.5 and 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game, respectively. With Takefuso Kubo also a part of their squad, the Samurai Blue have a golden opportunity to make substantial progress at the Tokyo Olympics.
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