1996 Summer Olympics / Football

Football at the 1996 Olympic Games
information
venue	Birmingham , Orlando , Miami , Athens , Washington, DC
Competition venue	Legion Field , Florida Citrus Bowl , Orange Bowl Stadium , Sanford Stadium , Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Teams	24 (8 , 16 )
Nations	21st
Athletes	388 (124 , 264 )
date	July 20 - August 3, 1996
decisions	2
← Barcelona 1992 Sydney 2000 →

At the XXVI. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta , a soccer competition was held. For the first time in Olympic history, a tournament in women's football was also held.

The German U-21 men's team was unable to qualify as part of the U-21 European Football Championship in 1996 , which served as a qualification.

In the men's competition, Nigeria was the first time an African team reached the final and won the title at a major international tournament. Argentina reached the final again for the first time after 1928 and for the first time after 1928 not only was there no European team in the final, but Europe was completely without a medal. Portugal lost 5-0 in the game for third place against Brazil, which played with players like Aldair and Bebeto , who had become world champions in 1994, as well as Rivaldo , Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo , who would become world champions six years later. In addition, for the first time only three European teams reached the quarter-finals and, for the first time since 1928, only one European team reached the semi-finals.

Venues

Game venues were the Legion Field in Birmingham / Alabama, the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando / Florida, the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami / Florida, the Sanford Stadium in Athens / Georgia and the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, DC As in 1984 and 1992, the tournament was not played in the actual Olympic Stadium in Atlanta.

Birmingham	Orlando	Orlando Athens Washington, DC Birmingham Miami 1996 venues in the United States
Legion Field	Florida Citrus Bowl
Miami	Athens	Washington, DC
Orange Bowl Stadium	Sanford Stadium	Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

Men's tournament

Olympic football tournament 1996
Men
Number of nations	16  (of 126 applicants)
Olympic champion	Nigeria (1st title)
venue	Athens , Birmingham , Miami Orlando and Washington, DC
Opening game	July 20, 1996
Endgame	August 3, 1996
Games	32
Gates	90  (⌀: 2.81 per game)
spectator	1,223,769  (⌀: 38,243 per game)
Top scorer	Bebeto Hernán Crespo (6 goals each)
yellow cards	138  (⌀: 4.31 per game)
Yellow-red cards	10  (⌀: 0.31 per game)
Red cards	4  (⌀: 0.13 per game)

qualification

→ Main article : 1996 Summer Olympics / Football / Qualification

Group stage

Group A

July 20, 1996, 7:30 p.m. in Birmingham United States - Argentina 1: 3 (1: 1) July 20, 1996, 3:00 p.m. in Washington Portugal - Tunisia 2: 0 (1: 0) July 22, 1996, 7:30 p.m. in Birmingham United States - Tunisia 2: 0 (1: 0) July 22, 1996, 7:30 p.m. in Washington Argentina - Portugal 1: 1 (1: 0) July 24, 1996, 7:30 p.m. in Washington United States - Portugal 1: 1 (0: 1) July 24, 1996, 7:30 p.m. in Birmingham Argentina - Tunisia 1: 1 (1: 0)

rank country Gates Points 1 Argentina 5: 3 5 2 Portugal 4: 2 5 3 United States 4: 4 4th 4th Tunisia 1: 5 1

Group B

July 20, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Orlando Spain - Saudi Arabia 1: 0 (0: 0) July 20, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Miami France - Australia 2: 0 (1: 0) July 22, 1996, 7:00 p.m. in Orlando France - Spain 1: 1 (1: 0) July 22, 1996, 7:00 p.m. in Miami Australia - Saudi Arabia 2: 1 (1: 1) July 24, 1996, 7:00 p.m. in Orlando Spain - Australia 3: 2 (1: 2) July 24, 1996, 7:00 p.m. in Miami France - Saudi Arabia 2: 1 (1: 1)

rank country Gates Points 1 France 5: 2 7th 2 Spain 5: 3 7th 3 Australia 4: 6 3 4th Saudi Arabia 2: 5 0

Group C

July 21, 1996 at 12:00 PM in Washington South Korea - Ghana 1: 0 (1: 0) July 21, 1996 at 5:00 p.m. in Birmingham Mexico - Italy 1: 0 (0: 0) July 23, 1996, 9:00 p.m. in Washington Ghana - Italy 3: 2 (1: 2) July 23, 1996, 8:00 p.m. in Birmingham Mexico - South Korea 0-0 July 25, 1996, 9:00 p.m. in Washington Mexico - Ghana 1: 1 (0: 1) July 25, 1996 at 9:00 p.m. in Birmingham Italy - South Korea 2: 1 (1: 0)

rank country Gates Points 1 Mexico 2: 1 5 2 Ghana 4: 4 4th 3 South Korea 2: 2 4th 4th Italy 4: 5 3

Group D

July 21, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Miami Japan - Brazil 1: 0 (0: 0) July 21, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Orlando Nigeria - Hungary 1: 0 (0: 0) July 23, 1996, 8:30 p.m. in Miami Brazil - Hungary 3: 1 (1: 0) July 23, 1996, 8:30 p.m. in Orlando Nigeria - Japan 2: 0 (0: 0) July 25, 1996, 9:00 p.m. in Miami Brazil - Nigeria 1: 0 (1: 0) July 25, 1996 at 9:00 p.m. in Orlando Japan - Hungary 3: 2 (1: 1)

rank country Gates Points 1 Brazil 4: 2 6th 2 Nigeria 3: 1 6th 3 Japan 4: 4 6th 4th Hungary 3: 7 0

Quarter finals

July 27, 1996, 7:30 p.m. in Birmingham
Argentina	-	Spain	4: 0 (0: 0)
July 27, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Miami
Portugal	-	France	2: 1 a.d.
July 28, 1996, 4:00 p.m. in Birmingham
Mexico	-	Nigeria	0: 2 (0: 1)
July 28, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Miami
Brazil	-	Ghana	4: 2 (1: 1)

Semifinals

July 30, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Athens
Argentina	-	Portugal	2: 0 (0: 0)
July 31, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Athens
Nigeria	-	Brazil	4: 3 a.d.

Bronze game

August 2, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Athens
Brazil	-	Portugal	5: 0 (2: 0)

final

pairing	Nigeria - Argentina
Result	3: 2 (1: 1)
date	August 3, 1996
Stadion	Sanford Stadium , Athens 86,117 spectators
referee	Pierluigi Collina ( Italy )
Gates	0: 1 Claudio López (3rd), 1: 1 Celestine Babayaro (28th), 1: 2 Hernán Crespo (50./FE), 2: 2 Daniel Amokachi (74th), 3: 2 Emmanuel Amuneke (90th) )
Warnings	Oliseh, Oruma, Dosu - Sensini
Nigeria	Joseph Dosu - Celestine Babayaro , Taribo West , Uche Okechukwu , Mobi Oparaku (62nd Wilson Oruma ) - Sunday Oliseh , Victor Ikpeba (72nd Emmanuel Amuneke ), Jay-Jay Okocha (59th Garba Lawal ), Nwankwo Kanu - Tijani Babangida , Daniel Amokachi Trainer: Jo Bonfrere ( Netherlands )
Argentina	Pablo Cavallero - Roberto Ayala , Javier Zanetti , Roberto Néstor Sensini , José Chamot - Matías Almeyda , Christian Bassedas , Hugo Morales (58th Diego Simeone ), Ariel Ortega - Hernán Crespo , Claudio López Trainer: Daniel Passarella

Medal ranks

rank	Medalist
Gold Nigeria	Daniel Amokachi , Emmanuel Amuneke , Tijani Babangida , Emmanuel Babayaro (TW), Celestine Babayaro , Teslim Fatusi , Victor Ikpeba , Joseph Dosu (TW), Nwankwo Kanu , Garba Lawal , Abiodun Obafemi , Kingsley Obiekwu , Uche Okechukwu , Jay-Jay Okocha , Sunday Oliseh , Mobi Oparaku , Wilson Oruma , Taribo West Trainer: Jo Bonfrere ( Netherlands )
Silver Argentina	Matías Almeyda , Roberto Ayala , Christian Bassedas , Carlos Bossio (TW), Pablo Cavallero (TW), José Chamot , Hernán Crespo , Marcelo Delgado , Marcelo Gallardo , Claudio López , Gustavo López , Hugo Morales , Ariel Ortega , Pablo Paz , Hector Pineda , Roberto Néstor Sensini , Diego Simeone , Javier Zanetti Trainers: Daniel Passarella
Bronze Brazil	Aldair , Amaral , Bebeto , Roberto Carlos , Flávio Conceição , Danrlei (TW), Dida (TW), Zé Elias , Ronaldo Guiaro , André Luiz Moreira , Luizão , Zé María , Narciso , Juninho Paulista , Marcelinho Paulista , Rivaldo , Ronaldo , Sávio Bortolini Pimentel Coach: Mário Zagallo

Best goal scorers

rank	player	Gates
1	Bebeto	6th
	Hernán Crespo	6th
3	Ronaldo	5
4th	Marco Branca	4th
5	Flávio Conceição	3
	Florian Maurice	3
	Nwankwo canoe	3

Women's tournament

Olympic football tournament 1996
Women
Number of nations	8th
Olympic champion	United States (1st title)
venue	Athens , Birmingham , Miami Orlando and Washington, DC
Opening game	July 21, 1996
Endgame	August 1, 1996
Games	16
Gates	53  (⌀: 3.31 per game)
spectator	691,762  (⌀: 43,235 per game)
Top scorer	Ann Kristin Aarønes , Linda Medalen Pretinha (4 goals each)
yellow cards	31  (⌀: 1.94 per game)
Yellow-red cards	1  (⌀: 0.06 per game)
Red cards	3  (⌀: 0.19 per game)

For the first time in Olympic history, a tournament was held in women's football. “In the absence of time for a qualifying round, the eight best teams from the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup were automatically selected for the Olympic tournament (which meant that no team from Africa or Oceania could participate). The only exception was Brazil nominated instead of England, which was not eligible according to the rules of the International Olympic Committee. And the Brazilian team thanked them for this invitation. “It is the only tournament with four European participants.

In contrast to the men's tournament, which had a maximum age of 23 years (with the exception of three players with no age limit), the players only had to be at least 16 years old.

Like the men's tournament, the venues were Legion Field in Birmingham / Alabama, the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando / Florida, the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami / Florida, the Sanford Stadium in Athens / Georgia and the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington , DC, where the group matches were played in double events with the men's tournament. The two semi-finals and the finals of the women's tournament also took place in a double event.

The first Olympic champion in women's football was the host USA's team, which used the home advantage and won the gold medal undefeated. Here the Norwegians were able to save the honor of the Europeans with the bronze medal.

Group stage

Group E

July 21, 1996, 4:00 p.m. in Orlando United States - Denmark 3: 0 (2: 0) July 21, 1996, 4:00 p.m. in Miami Sweden - China 0: 2 (0: 2) July 23, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Orlando United States - Sweden 2: 1 (1: 0) July 23, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Miami Denmark - China 1: 5 (0: 4) July 25, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Miami United States - China 0-0 July 25, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Orlando Denmark - Sweden 1: 3 (0: 0)

rank country Gates Points 1 China 7: 1 7th 2 United States 5: 1 7th 3 Sweden 4: 5 3 4th Denmark 2:11 0

Group F.

July 21, 1996, 3:00 p.m. in Washington Norway - Brazil 2: 2 (1: 0) July 21, 1996, 1:30 p.m. in Birmingham Germany - Japan 3: 2 (2: 2) July 23, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Washington Norway - Germany 3: 2 (2: 1) July 23, 1996, 4:30 p.m. in Birmingham Brazil - Japan 2: 0 (0: 0) July 25, 1996, 6:30 p.m. in Washington Norway - Japan 4: 0 (1: 0) July 25, 1996, 4:30 p.m. in Birmingham Brazil - Germany 1: 1 (0: 1)

rank country Gates Points 1 Norway 9: 4 7th 2 Brazil 5: 3 5 3 Germany 6: 6 4th 4th Japan 2: 9 0

Semifinals

July 28, 1996, 3:00 p.m. in Athens
China	-	Brazil	3: 2 (1: 0)
July 28, 1996, 5:30 p.m. in Athens
Norway	-	United States	1: 2 a.d. ( Golden Goal )

Bronze game

August 1, 1996, 6:00 p.m. in Athens
Brazil	-	Norway	0: 2 (0: 2)

final

pairing	United States - China
Result	2: 1 (1: 1)
date	August 1, 1996
Stadion	Sanford Stadium , Athens 76,489 spectators
referee	Bente Skogvang ( Norway )
Gates	1-0 Shannon MacMillan (19th), 1: 1 Sun Wen (32nd), 2: 1 Tiffeny Milbrett (68th)
Warnings	Lilly, Milbrett, Scurry - Huilin
United States	Briana Scurry - Carla Overbeck , Brandi Chastain , Joy Fawcett , Shannon MacMillan - Julie Foudy , Tisha Venturini , Kristine Lilly , Michelle Akers - Mia Hamm (89th Carin Gabarra ), Tiffeny Milbrett (71st Tiffany Roberts ) Trainer: Tony DiCicco
China	Gao Hong - Wang Liping (86th Yu Hongqi ), Fan Yunjie , Xie Huilin , Sun Wen - Zhao Lihong , Shui Qingxia , Liu Ailing , Sun Qingmei - Liu Ying , Shi Guihong (69th Wei Haiying ) Trainer: Ma Yuanan

Medal ranks

rank	Medalists
Gold United States	Michelle Akers , Thori Staples Bryan , Brandi Chastain , Amanda Cromwell , Joy Fawcett , Julie Foudy , Carin Gabarra , Mia Hamm , Mary Harvey (TW), Kristine Lilly , Shannon MacMillan , Tiffeny Milbrett , Carla Overbeck , Cindy Parlow , Tiffany Roberts , Briana Scurry (TW), Tisha Venturini , Saskia Webber (TW), Staci Wilson Trainer: Tony DiCicco
Silver china	Liu Ailing , Shi Guihong , Wei Haiying , Gao Hong (TW), Zhong Honglian (TW), Yu Hongqi , Xie Huilin , Zhao Lihong , Niu Lijie , Wang Liping , Wen Lirong , Shui Qingxia , Sun Qingmei , Sun Wen , Chen Yufeng , Zhang Yan , Liu Ying , Fan Yunjie Coach: Ma Yuanan
Bronze Norway	Ann Kristin Aarønes , Anne Nymark Andersen , Nina Nymark Andersen , Agnete Carlsen , Gro Espeseth , Tone Gunn Frustøl , Tone Haugen , Linda Medalen , Merete Mykleust , Bente Nordby (TW), Marianne Pettersen , Hege Riise , Brit Sandaune , Reidun Seth (TW ), Ingrid Sternhoff , Heidi Støre , Tina Svensson , Trine Tangeraas , Kjersti Thun Trainer: Even Pellerud

Best goalscorers

rank	player	Gates
1	Ann Kristin Aarønes	4th
	Linda medals	4th
	Pretinha	4th
4th	Shannon MacMillan	3
	Sun Qingmei	3
6th	Bettina Wiegmann	2
...
13 *	Birgit Prinz	1
	Pia Wunderlich	1
	Heidi Mohr	1

* An own goal in favor of Germany in the game against Japan.

Web links

Commons : 1996 Summer Olympics / Football  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• FIFA Official Website (Men)
• Detailed data on rsssf.com (men / engl.)
• FIFA Official Website (Women)
• Detailed data on rsssf.com (women / engl.)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ FIFA.com: Atlanta Women's Olympic Football Tournament 1996
2. ↑ FIFA.com: Women's Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 Statistical Kit Statistics, Facts & Figures 1996–2008