How many over-age players may compete for each nation?
Answer - just three
2
Apart from the over-age players what is the age limit for the squad?
Answer - under 23, even though many countries no longer run under 23 sides and some countries qualified on the basis of under 21 competitions.
3
There have been 24 football tournaments at the Olympics thus far. Seventeen of those tournaments have been won by European teams. So how many European teams have been allowed to compete in the London 2012 Olympics?
Answer - just 3 teams: Great Britain the hosts, Spain and Switzerland
4
When did Britain last enter a team for the Olympics?
Answer - 1960
5
Other than Uruguay which teams will GB, minus the Irish and Scottish players, face in the group stages?
Answer - Senegal & United Arab Emirates
6
What Olympic connection do Griffin Park, Brentford - Lynn Road, Newbury Park, Ilford - Champion Park, Dulwich & Green Pond Road Stadium, Walthamstow have?
Answer - they all hosted matches for the 1948 London Olympics
7
Name all the South American teams to have won the Olympic Gold medal
Answer - only 2 South American teams have won the Olympic Gold medal: Uruguay & Argentina - Brazil have competed more often but have only managed a silver medal.
8
Who were the first ever winners of an Olympic Gold in 1900 and the latest in 2008
Answer - the first ever winner, in Paris 1900, was Great Britain, Argentina won in 2008
9
Take a really wild guess at the second ever winner of an Olympic Gold in 1904
Answer - the second ever winner was Galt FC representing Canada
10
How many nations that have won an Olympic Gold no longer exist as such
Answer - Winners that no longer exist as a competing nation: Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czchoslovakia and East Germany
11
Which Club team represented GB in the 1900 Olympics?
Answer - Upton Park Football Club represented GB in the 1900 Olympics
England's 1912 Olympic team
12
How many teams will be competing for the Football Gold Medal at the London 2012 Olympics?
Answer - 16 teams will be competing for the Football Gold Medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
13
Which two nations share the most wins with 3 Gold Medals each?
Answer - the two nations which share the most wins with 3 Gold Medals each are: Great Britain and Hungary.
14
What's the nationality of the top scorer for a single tournament and how many did he score in the six games he played?
Answer - the all time top scorer in a single Olympic tournament was a Hungarian named Ferenc Bene who scored 12 in the six games (1964). His Club side was Újpesti Dózsa.
15
Who is the manager of team GB
Answer - Stuart Pearce.
16
How many of London's stadiums will be used for the London Olympics
Answer - just one - Wembley
17
How many English players are represented in the team GB squad
Answer - 15 English plus 3 Welsh players
18
Who are the oldest and youngest players in the GB squad
Answer - Ryan Giggs (38) and Jack Butland (19)
19
Two Premiership teams have two players each in the team - can you name them?
Answer Manchester United and Chelsea
20
Can you name the only Southampton player in team GB
Answer - Jack Cork
Ryan Giggs the GB team captain
Having attempted to answer all the questions you might conclude that this is an over-hyped, pointless, unnecessary and somewhat meaningless international competition for under 23's. If all goes well however some players such as Craig Bellamy and Aaron Ramsey might see it as the possible peak of their careers.
The eventual Gold medallists, whoever that might be, will no doubt big up its importance on the world's football stage. While other more cynical fans, myself included, might claim it should be ranked somewhere below the Capital One League Cup but maybe just above the FA Carlsberg Trophy.
However you rate it - its your call
Brian @Gooner48 on Twitter
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