Men's Football Olympic Games 2000

The Finals

September 13 - 30 2000, Sydney Australia

2000 Champions - Cameroon

Cameroon won their first ever gold medal in any Olympic sport when they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with nine-man Spain and then beat them 5-3 on penalties in a remarkable soccer final.

The victory gives Cameroon the double of being African and Olympic champions in the same year. They now stand with neighbours Nigeria who became the first African side to win a global soccer title four years ago in Atlanta

Africa had an unprecedented four places among the 16 finalists at the football tournament in Sydney in 2000; the three qualifying group winners - Nigeria, Cameroon and Morocco - and South Africa, the best runner-up, who beat New Zealand, the winner of the Oceanic tournament.

The tournament is limited to players under 23 years of age (as of 01 January 2000) with an allowed maximum of three over-age players.

Click here for the CAF qualifying competition

Click here for the initial rounds

Soccer at the Olympics

The most popular sport in the world, football (soccer) was first introduced onto the Olympic program in Paris in 1900 and is celebrating its 100th year as an Olympic sport at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Football is the only Olympic sport that will be played outside Sydney during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, with preliminary matches to be held at the Brisbane Football Stadium, Lang Park in Brisbane, Bruce Stadium in Canberra, Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Sydney Football Stadium. The men's final will be played on Saturday, 30 September at the Olympic Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park.

The Olympic Football Tournaments involve sixteen men's teams and eight women's teams whose matches are allocated throughout the four interstate cities.