With Japan eyeing its first men’s Olympic soccer medal in 53 years following a perfect group stage, it would seem at first glance as though there’s no better time than now to get excited about the tournament, with quarterfinals starting Saturday.
But poor performances by some of the sport’s powerhouses, including reigning world champion France — who were beaten by Japan 4-0 on Wednesday — and recent Copa America winner Argentina, are a reminder that the reality of the relationship between the world’s most popular sport and the Olympics is far more complicated.
Since making its debut in 1900 in Paris — 30 years before the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay — men’s soccer at the Olympics has gone through a tumultuous series of changes, with global governing body FIFA and the International Olympic Committee often grappling to exert their influence over the tournament.