Power ranking every single sport at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics
By Nick Villano
8. Football/Soccer
When we mentioned earlier the one sport in the top 12 that isn’t an “Olympic” sport, this is obviously what we were referencing. Football/soccer is largely considered the planet’s most popular sport. It has an incredibly cheap cost of entry (the only necessary equipment is a ball and something that can act as a net), and its most country’s most televised sport. Teams in Africa, South America, and Asia primarily play soccer. In North America and Australia, it’s obviously popular, but nothing is like football in Europe. There, it’s basically a religion.
At the Olympics, it’s not as big as it is in, say, the Premier League, but it’s one of two instances where every single country gets a chance to compete outside the World Cup, which happens every four years. The Olympics seems to be on equal ground to the World Cup on the women’s side. The best of the best are going there and competing.
On the men’s side, the best of the best don’t always go. For example, Lionel Messi has only been to the Olympics once (and he won gold). Cristiano Ronaldo went to the Olympics in 2004, but it was a disaster and he never returned. That tide seems to be turning, but these huge European teams are still blocking the stars from joining the Olympics. That’s what happened with Kylian Mbappe, who’s French team is hosting the Olympics. If that narrative changes, this would be a top-five sport.
The woman’s game makes this so worth it. That’s where the best are represented, and the tournament is fantastic. It’s one of the best elements of the Olympics as a whole. We’ll be watching the Americans, who said ‘no thank you” to Alex Morgan after an overall disappointing World Cup.