Paris 2024 Olympics: Which Premier League stars are in action?

Football at the Paris 2024 Olympics starts today, with 10 current Premier League stars going for gold for their countries. 

Here is a guide to what you need to know.

When does the Olympic football take place?

The men's tournament starts on 24 July when Spain face Uzbekistan and Argentina play Morocco. The final will be on Friday 9 August, with the gold medal match at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

How does the tournament work?

There are 16 nations split into four groups, with the top two in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.

Which teams are taking part?

Group A: France, USA, Guinea, New Zealand.
Group B: Argentina, Morocco, Iraq, Ukraine.
Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, Dominican Republic.
Group D: Japan, Paraguay, Mali, Israel.

What are the key dates?

Group stage: 24-30 July
Quarter-finals: 2 August
Semi-finals: 5 August
Bronze medal match: 8 August
Gold medal match: 9 August

Which Premier League players are in action?

10 players from seven Premier League clubs are involved.

The highest-profile player is Manchester City's Julian Alvarez, who heads to Paris less than a fortnight after winning the Copa America with Argentina, having been called up by head coach Javier Mascherano. 

Brighton & Hove Albion forward Julio Enciso is another South American doing a Copa America-Olympics double, representing Paraguay. 

Jean-Philippe Mateta, who finished 2023/24 with 12 goals in his final 11 appearances for Crystal Palace, has been picked by Thierry Henry to represent host nation France as one of three players aged above 23 players that are allowed for the competition.

Chelsea goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, who spent last season on loan at Belgian side KAS Eupen, is representing the USA as well as new signing Caleb Wiley, who was recently brought in from MLS side Atlanta United. They are one of three Blues players in action in Paris, along with 20-year-old midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu. 

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers team-mates Boubacar Traore and Enso Gonzalez will become opponents when Mali and Paraguay meet in their Group D encounter on 30 July. 

Finally, AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Alex Paulsen and Ipswich Town stopper Henry Gray are representing New Zealand.

Premier League players at Olympics 

Argentina: Julian Alvarez (Man City).
France: Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Lesley Ugochukwu (Chelsea).
Mali: Boubacar Traore (Wolves).
New Zealand: Alex Paulsen (AFC Bournemouth), Henry Gray (Ipswich).
Paraguay: Julio Enciso (Brighton), Enso Gonzalez (Wolves).
United States: Gabriel Slonina, Caleb Wiley (both Chelsea).

Will they miss any PL matches?

With the Olympic tournament finishing exactly a week before the Premier League's opening night, it is feasible for the players to return from France fit and ready to re-integrate with their clubs for Matchweek 1. Of course, by not being physically involved in the club's important pre-season training and tactical preparations that may force their managers to revise their plans. 

The bigger question mark hangs over players such as Alvarez and Enciso, who will have been in action for their country for most of the summer. How much rest they have had this summer and how their managers will want to plan their recuperation and reintegration will determine whether they can feature on the opening weekend.

Which Premier League players have won an Olympic gold medal?

Not many players have returned from the Olympics to their clubs with a gold medal around their necks. Mascherano will aim to replicate the Beijing 2008 success he achieved for his nation as a Liverpool player and lead Argentina to Olympic glory for the third time. 

Lauren was the first Premier League player to win an Olympic gold medal, triumphing for Cameroon at the Sydney 2000 games shortly after joining Arsenal. Gabriel Heinze was successful four years later as a Manchester United player, while Giovani Dos Santos was still on the books of Tottenham Hotspur when Mexico won gold at London in 2012 but soon left.

Brazil, champions at the 2020 Tokyo games, featured three players who represented Premier League clubs when the tournament was played, as they beat Spain 2-1 in the final. Everton star Richarlison returned to Goodison Park as a gold medal winner, but now plays for Spurs, while Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli became an Olympic champion the month after his 20th birthday. Douglas Luiz, who joined Juventus this summer, was an Aston Villa player when he picked up a gold medal.

Premier League Olympic gold medalists