What soccer teams have won the Olympics? You may be surprised by what we reveal.
Men’s Olympic soccer dates back to 1900. Fittingly, the Olympics that year were in Paris just like the 2024 Summer Games. Such a rich history has given the Olympic soccer tournaments chances to involve many different nations. In total, 19 countries have won a Gold Medal in men’s soccer. Some of those countries do not even exist anymore. Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and East Germany each won an Olympic Gold Medal in men’s soccer.
Six nations have won Olympic gold multiple times. Hungary and Great Britain led the way with three Olympic triumphs in the history of the games. Both of those are well in the past, though. For example, Great Britain won in 1900, 1908 and 1912. Hungary also won in close succession, with the Hungary national team bringing home gold in 1952, 1964 and 1968. In addition to the Soviet Union winning two titles, three South American nations won in successive years. Uruguay claimed gold in 1924 and 1928. Far more recently, Argentina won successive Gold Medals in 2004 and 2008, with Lionel Messi featuring in the latter. Then, in 2016, Brazil won on home soil with Neymar scoring the winning penalty before the Selecao repeated as champions in 2020.
List of men’s Olympics Gold Medal winners in soccer
Most of the nations in this last have also finished as runner-up or bronze medalists in Olympic soccer. For example, Brazil, Yugoslavia and Spain have each won the Silver Medal three times, while Argentina and Poland have won it twice.
- Hungary (3; 1952, 1964 and 1968)
- Great Britain (3; 1900, 1908 and 1912)
- Brazil (2; 2016 and 2020)
- Argentina (2; 2004 and 2008)
- Soviet Union (2; 1956 and 1988)
- Uruguay (2; 1924 and 1928)
- Canada (1904)
- Belgium (1920)
- Italy (1936)
- Sweden (1948)
- Yugoslavia (1960)
- Poland (1972)
- East Germany (1976)
- Czechoslovakia (1980)
- France (1984)
- Spain (1992)
- Nigeria (1996)
- Cameroon (2000)
- Mexico (2012)
Women’s Soccer gold medalists
The women’s side of Olympic soccer does not have as deep of a history compared to the men’s tournament. Yet, the rapid growth of women’s soccer has led to several phenomenal tournaments. This is particularly true if you support the USWNT. Women’s soccer only started as an Olympic event in the Atlanta Games of 1996. That means it has been played seven times in its history, with Paris 2024 being the eighth edition.
The USWNT has won the Gold Medal four times, and it has only failed to medal once. Brazil and Sweden have twice finished as the runner-up, but neither has been able to cross the finish line with a Gold Medal. Sweden hit that mark in each of the last two events in 2016 and 2020, while Brazil won back-to-back Silver Medals in 2004 and 2008.
- United States (4; 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012)
- Norway (2000)
- Germany (2016)
- Canada (2020)
PHOTOS: IMAGO
