Group Guide

A

In 2016, Japan failed to get out of their group, a nightmare scenario that they’ll be desperate to avoid at home. The hosts’ curtain raiser against South Africa will be key in a tricky group that also features Mexico and France. Third at the 2019 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, the South Africans competed in 2000 and 2016, but failed both times to get out of their group. The French were semi-finalists at the U21 Euros in 2019, while Mexico won the qualifying tournament in their region. In 2012, the Mexicans famously claimed gold at Wembley when two Oribe Peralta goals defeated Brazil.

B

New Zealand, South Korea, Honduras and Romania feature in the most open and evenly balanced group of the first round. There are no big names or powerhouses, but the Asian champions will be confident of going through with several of the players that reached the Under-20 World Cup final in 2019. The Kiwis reached the last 16 of that same tournament, and will take the nucleus of that team to Japan, five years after an ineligibility scandal ended their involvement in Rio. Honduras once again eliminated the United States in qualification and will look to better their fourth-place finish from Rio 2016. Romania complete the group, having eliminated both England and Croatia in the qualifiers.

C

In a group with three continental champions, there are few guarantees, but Argentina and Spain will be slight favourites to go through – even if La Roja haven’t progressed to the knockout phase since 2000. Argentina have Olympic pedigree and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister starred in qualification in a No.10 role, scoring four goals. Australia, Asia’s third representative in Tokyo, qualified with more completed passes than anyone else on the continent and senior coach Graham Arnold will look to harness that possession-based style. Egypt won the 2019 U23 AFCON with a generation considered one of their most promising ever. Amar Hamdy and Ramadan Sobhi will be players to watch.

D

Curtain raisers don’t come any bigger than Brazil v Germany, uniting two heavyweights and the finalists of the last Olympics. Brazil lost just three times in preparation before slumping to an embarrassing defeat against Cape Verde in June, raising questions over the pedigree of some of their home-based players. Having never won gold, Germany will be keen to avenge defeat five years ago. Saudi Arabia return to the competition for a third time and impressed at continental level, finishing runners-up behind South Korea. Ambitious coach Saad Al-Shehri leads the Green Falcons and believes that progress is realistic. Ivory Coast participate for a second time after reaching the last eight in Beijing in 2008.