Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Event	Football
Games	2004 Summer Olympics
Venues	Karaiskakis Stadium, Pampeloponnisiako Stadium, Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Pankritio Stadium, Panthessaliko Stadium
Dates	11–28 August 2004
Nations	22
Athletes	432
Prev	Sydney 2000
Next	Beijing 2008

Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held from 11 to 28 August 2004 in Greece. The tournament featured two events: a men's competition for players under 23 years of age, with three over-age exceptions permitted per squad, and a women's competition with no age restrictions. Matches were staged across five stadiums in various Greek cities, with the finals held at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and the Olympic Stadium in Marousi.

Competition format

The men's tournament featured sixteen national teams divided into four groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout quarter-finals. The women's tournament comprised ten teams, with two groups of three and one group of four, and the top two teams from each group plus the two best third-placed teams progressing to the quarter-finals. All knockout matches, including the finals, required a result, employing extra time and penalty shoot-outs if necessary. The competition adhered to the standard laws of the game as governed by the FIFA.

Venues

Matches were hosted in five stadiums across mainland Greece and Crete, showcasing football beyond the capital region of Athens. The primary venues were the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, which hosted the men's final, and the Olympic Stadium in Marousi, which staged the women's final. Other significant venues included the Pampeloponnisiako Stadium in Patras, the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion, and the Panthessaliko Stadium in Volos. These stadiums underwent renovations for the 2004 Summer Olympics and provided modern facilities for players and spectators.

Qualification

Qualification for the men's tournament was determined through continental competitions organized by each FIFA confederation. Host nation Greece received an automatic berth, while other spots were allocated to teams from UEFA, the AFC, the CAF, the CONCACAF, the CONMEBOL, and the OFC. The women's tournament qualification also followed continental pathways, with Greece qualifying as hosts and the reigning world champions, the United States, receiving an automatic entry. Other qualifiers emerged from tournaments like the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and regional championships.

Men's tournament

The men's competition was won by Argentina, which claimed its first Olympic gold medal in football by defeating Paraguay 1–0 in the final at the Karaiskakis Stadium. The decisive goal was scored by Carlos Tevez, who finished as the tournament's top scorer. The Argentine squad, managed by Marcelo Bielsa, featured future stars like Javier Mascherano and was undefeated throughout the tournament. Italy secured the bronze medal by beating Iraq 1–0 in the third-place match. Notable participants included a Portugal side led by Cristiano Ronaldo and a Serbia and Montenegro team that featured Dejan Stanković.

Women's tournament

The women's tournament was won by the United States, which defeated Brazil 2–1 after extra time in a thrilling final at the Olympic Stadium. The winning goal was scored by Abby Wambach. The U.S. team, coached by April Heinrichs, included veterans like Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly. Germany earned the bronze medal with a 1–0 victory over Sweden. The tournament was notable for the emergence of Brazilian stars Marta and Cristiane, and it marked the first Olympic final for the Brazil women's national football team.

Medal summary

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Rank ! Nation ! Gold ! Silver ! Bronze ! Total |- | 1 | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |- | 1 | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |- | 3 | | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |- | 3 | | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |- | 5 | | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |- | 5 | | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |- ! colspan=2 | Totals (6 nations) ! 2 ! 2 ! 2 ! 6 |}

Category:Football at the Summer Olympics Category:2004 Summer Olympics events Category:2004 in association football