TEAM GB could have challenged for gold had they chosen to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris.
While the women’s side failed to qualify for this summer’s tournament, the men’s side have not played together since their first competition in 52 years at London 2012.
On that occasion they were coached by Stuart Pearce and reached the quarter-finals before losing to South Korea.
But had they entered this year, they could have gone even further with the plethora of talent on offer across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
SunSport has selected an XI of players that did not feature at Euro 2024 – plus Manchester United and Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay who could have featured given his country’s early exit in Germany.
Only players 23 years old and younger as of January 1, 2024 and three overage stars are eligible to feature at the Olympics.
Keeper James Trafford, the hero in England’s U21 Euros triumph last year, would have lined up in between the sticks having narrowly missed out on Gareth Southgate‘s squad.
And a host of other Three Lions stars left out by Southgate could also have played at the Olympics.
They include Rico Lewis, Levi Colwill, Jarell Quansah and Marcus Rashford – who we have selected as the captain.
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers may also have made the team, while Tottenham new boy Archie Gray would have been in the frame.
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Representing Wales would have been Gray’s Spurs team-mate Brennan Johnson.
And Northern Ireland could have played their part in the shape of Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley.
Team GB claimed gold with the men’s team in 1900, 1908 and 1912.
But since then the closest they have come to any colour medal was in 1948 when they placed fourth at their home Games.
Meanwhile, the women’s team played at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 and were knocked out at the quarter-final stage on both occasions.
