Olympic football winners: United States, Hungary, Brazil dominate list

Football at the Olympic Games was first included at Paris 1900 as a men's competition sport.

The men’s Olympic football competition has been regularly staged in every edition of the quadrennial event, except in the inaugural Summer Olympics in 1896 and at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 

Club Français (France), Université de Bruxelles (Belgium) and Upton Park (Great Britain) were the three teams that competed in the inaugural edition of the men’s Olympic football competition.

Great Britain won the gold medal in the men’s Olympic football competition at Paris 1900. France clinched the silver medal while Belgium claimed bronze.

Meanwhile, FIFA has restricted participation of elite players in the men's tournament in various ways in order to avoid competition with the World Cup.

Since the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, men’s participating teams have been restricted to under-23 players at the marquee event, with a maximum of three overage players allowed since Atlanta 1996. 

Hungary and Great Britain have the most gold medals in men’s football at the Olympics with three each.

The likes of Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Soviet Union and Uruguay have bagged the gold twice each.

Brazil are the most decorated team in the men’s football competition with seven medals, comprising two gold, three silver and two bronze.

On the other hand, the women’s football competition has been played at the Summer Olympics since Atlanta 1996.

The United States have been the most dominant team in the women’s football competition with seven medals. They have won five gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

Overall, the Olympic football winners list is dominated by the United States with eight medals in men’s and women’s events. Know the champions in men’s and women’s competitions.

Olympic football winners list: Know the champions

Men’s Olympic Football Winners list

Women’s Olympic Football Winners List

Olympic football winners list: Overall medal table

Total medals won (men's and women's) including 1900 and 1904

Photo credit: Imago