Choosing a Team GB men's XI for the 2024 Olympics

The Great Britain & Northern Ireland team are aiming to be near the top of the medal table at this summer's Olympics in Paris, targeting between 50 and 70 medals from their 327 athletes.

But among that number are no footballers. The women's team, whose Olympics qualification rests on England's performances, agonisingly failed to make the cut, while the men don't enter at all.

Team GB's men used to dominate Olympic football when it was strictly an amateur competition, taking gold in 1900, 1908 and 1912 – three wins remains a joint all-time record on the men's side. But while the post-Second World War era gave rise to Eastern Europe, where top players were state-sponsored and therefore able to retain amateur status, Britain struggled to be competitive and later stopped entering altogether by 1972, having failed to qualify since 1960.

Olympics football underwent changes in the 1980s when professional players were admitted, but a compromise with FIFA was eventually reached in 1992 when it was decided that players should be under 23 years of age – three older players were allowed from 1996 onwards. Nations from Africa and Latin America have become the more dominant forces since then.

But Team GB haven't returned, save for once as a special cameo as hosts in 2012. Much of that is to do with politics, with the four Home Nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – seemingly concerned about their separate FIFA memberships potentially being questioned in future. After 2012, the decision was made not to enter a men's team again, although women would continue.

A hypothetical British team, which would have the pick of four player pools, could be among the favourites to a get a medal. Anyone born on or since 1 January 2001 can be chosen for this summer, with a maximum of three players over that age bracket permitted too.

Taking into account that England and Scotland have both already played at Euro 2024 this summer, which would rule out the likes of Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Kobbie Mainoo being selected – even though they are age eligible – here is a realistic Team GB XI for the 2024 Olympics…

* denotes over-age selection

GK: James Trafford

James Trafford made the jump from League One to the Premier League in 2023 and made 28 appearances in the top flight for Burnley last season.

His inclusion in England's provisional squad for Euro 2024 perhaps was more an indication of the lack of goalkeeper options considering he finished the 2023/24 campaign on Burnley's bench, but Trafford is still the best young British stopper around.

RB: Conor Bradley

The emergence of Conor Bradley last season was a lifeline for Liverpool and provided timely specialised injury cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold. It might have been more than 11 Premier League appearances but for his start to the campaign being delayed by a back injury, while the Reds only lost three of the 23 games he played in across all competitions.

Although England is the dominant nation, a team representing Great Britain needs to have players from further afield and Bradley brings Northern Ireland to the table.

CB: Jarrad Branthwaite

Everton fans have seen Jarrad Branthwaite flourish in the past 12 months, to the point where Manchester United have made multiple offers for the 22-year-old as part of their rebuild.

A first senior England call-up came in March, while the Cumbria-born centre-back made his Three Lions debut in June after being included in the preliminary group for Euro 2024. He already seems like a solid bet to make the squad for the next World Cup in two years' time.

CB: Jarell Quansah

Liverpool ultimately didn't have to dip into the transfer market for a centre-back last summer after Jarell Quansah came out of virtually nowhere to make 33 appearances across the season, often partnering Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.

He was never expected to go to Euro 2024 even after being selected for the provisional squad, but it highlighted that the 21-year-old had suitably impressed to be on the FA's radar in the first place.

LB: Rico Lewis

A treble winner at 18 and a two-time Premier League champion by 19, Rico Lewis isn't naturally a left-back but is versatile enough that he has played there - and pretty much everywhere else - for Manchester City at this stage of his fledgling career.

Lewis played 90 minutes of senior international football for England a week before his 19th birthday and is very highly rated by Pep Guardiola.

CM: Harvey Elliott

This past season was a career best for Harvey Elliott, making 53 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions. For someone who only turned 21 in April, it's easy to forget that he has been playing senior football since the age of 15 because he's been around for so long.

Elliott offers midfield bite and guile in equal measures, which are vital qualities to have in tournament football when games can be decided on such small margins.

CM: Jordan Henderson*

Had Jordan Henderson been fully fit and not missed a considerable chunk of March and April with a muscle injury, you get the impression that Gareth Southgate would probably have taken him to Euro 2024. Half a season at a lower level in Saudi Arabia didn't help his cause either.

The former Liverpool captain is a proven leader and, at 34, is ripe for one of the three over-age berths available. A calming influence in front of the back four would be an asset.

RM: Brennan Johnson

Enter, Wales, with Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson. The 23-year-old is towards the older end of the age ceiling but is eligible without caveat and could offer electrifying pace on the right flank.

Spurs paid the best part of £50m to Nottingham Forest for Johnson last summer and weren't let down by his ten assists in 32 Premier League appearances off the bat - only Cole Palmer (11) and Ollie Watkins (13) laid on more goals than he did.

AM: James Maddison*

James Maddison was extremely open in voicing his disappointment about being among the first to get cut from England's provisional Euro 2024 squad this summer.

The 27-year-old was one of the Premier League's best players in the early months of last season, contributing both goals and assists and an injury absence directly coincided with Tottenham losing momentum that they were ultimately unable to recover.

LM: Noni Madueke

While Chelsea have signed some duds in recent times, there is potential in England Under-21 winger Noni Madueke. He went from a bit-part player to a key starter on the left flank in the final two months of last season as the Blues rescued their campaign.

Madueke has a different make-up to a lot of young British players, having moved to PSV Eindhoven as a 16-year-old and learned a different football culture. He stayed there until he was 21.

ST: Eddie Nketiah*

Eddie Nketiah feels a perennial 'young' talent but is overdue for his career in senior football to really get going after plateauing as a back-up player at Arsenal. A potential move to Marseille, with more and more British players willing to head abroad for opportunities, could be the break he needs.

The striker is well versed in age-restricted football and is actually England's all-time record goalscorer at Under-21 level, scoring 16 times in 17 appearances for the junior lions.

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