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Summer Olympics Football: Countries with the Most Gold (and Total) Medals
Argentina Is The Reigning Olympic Football Champion, Winning Back-to-Back Gold in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008
The 2012 Summer Olympics are just two weeks away, and of course, the most popular sport in the world, football, will be a major event.
And it just so happens this year’s host entity, Great Britain, has the most Olympic football (soccer) gold in history – the nation is tied with Hungary at three. Neither country has medaled since 1972, though (since 1912 for Great Britain).
Take a look below at three lists today: countries with the most football gold, countries with the most football medals and a chronological listing of all medaling countries since the sport joined the games in the second modern Olympiad, 1900.
The football landscape has changed quite a bit since the early days when, for the most part, European nations dominated. Since 1984, however, nine of a possible 21 medalist countries have come from South America.
For more Sports List of the Day Summer Olympic posts, browse the “Olympics” category.
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GOLD MEDALS
| 1. | Great Britain | 3 | 1900, 1908, 1912 |
| 1. | Hungary | 3 | 1952, 1964, 1968 |
| 3. | Argentina | 2 | 2004, 2008 |
| 3. | Soviet Union | 2 | 1956, 1988 |
| 3. | Uruguay | 2 | 1924, 1928 |
| 6. | Belgium | 1 | 1920 |
| 6. | Canada | 1 | 1904 |
| 6. | Cameroon | 1 | 2000 |
| 6. | Denmark | 1 | 1906 |
| 6. | Spain | 1 | 1992 |
| 6. | France | 1 | 1984 |
| 6. | East Germany | 1 | 1976 |
| 6. | Italy | 1 | 1936 |
| 6. | Nigeria | 1 | 1996 |
| 6. | Poland | 1 | 1972 |
| 6. | Sweden | 1 | 1948 |
| 6. | Czechoslovakia | 1 | 1980 |
| 6. | Yugoslavia | 1 | 1960 |
TOTAL MEDALS
| COUNTRY | TOT | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | |
| 1. | Hungary | 5 | 1952, 1964, 1968 | 1972 | 1960 |
| 1. | Soviet Union | 5 | 1956, 1988 | — | 1972, 1976, 1980 |
| 1. | Denmark | 5 | 1906 | 1908, 1912, 1960 | 1948 |
| 1. | Yugoslavia | 5 | 1960 | 1948, 1952, 1956 | 1984 |
| 5. | Argentina | 4 | 2004, 2008 | 1928, 1996 | — |
| 5. | Brazil | 4 | — | 1984, 1988 | 1996, 2008 |
| 7. | Great Britain | 3 | 1900, 1908, 1912 | — | — |
| 7. | Spain | 3 | 1992 | 1920, 2000 | — |
| 7. | Poland | 3 | 1972 | 1976, 1992 | — |
| 7. | East Germany | 3 | 1976 | 1980 | 1972 |
| 7. | Italy | 3 | 1936 | — | 1928, 2004 |
| 7. | Sweden | 3 | 1948 | — | 1924, 1952 |
| 7. | Netherlands | 3 | — | — | 1908, 1912, 1920 |
| 14. | Uruguay | 2 | 1924, 1928 | — | — |
| 14. | France | 2 | 1984 | 1900 | — |
| 14. | Nigeria | 2 | 1996 | 2008 | — |
| 14. | Czechoslovakia | 2 | 1980 | 1964 | — |
| 14. | Bulgaria | 2 | — | 1968 | 1956 |
| 14. | Mixed team | 2 | — | 1906 | 1900 |
| 14. | United States | 2 | 1904 | 1904 | |
| 21. | Austria | 1 | — | 1936 | — |
| 21. | Belgium | 1 | 1920 | — | — |
| 21. | Canada | 1 | 1904 | — | — |
| 21. | Cameroon | 1 | 2000 | — | — |
| 21. | Paraguay | 1 | — | 2004 | — |
| 21. | Switzerland | 1 | — | 1924 | — |
| 21. | Chile | 1 | — | — | 2000 |
| 21. | West Germany | 1 | — | — | 1988 |
| 21. | Germany | 1 | — | — | 1964 |
| 21. | Ghana | 1 | — | — | 1992 |
| 21. | Greece | 1 | — | — | 1906 |
| 21. | Japan | 1 | — | — | 1968 |
| 21. | Norway | 1 | — | — | 1936 |
CHRONOLOGICAL
| YEAR | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
| 2008 | Argentina | Nigeria | Brazil |
| 2004 | Argentina | Paraguay | Italy |
| 2000 | Cameroon | Spain | Chile |
| 1996 | Nigeria | Argentina | Brazil |
| 1992 | Spain | Poland | Ghana |
| 1988 | Soviet Union | Brazil | West Germany |
| 1984 | France | Brazil | Yugoslavia |
| 1980 | Czechoslovakia | East Germany | Soviet Union |
| 1976 | East Germany | Poland | Soviet Union |
| 1972 | Poland | Hungary | Soviet Union |
| East Germany | |||
| 1968 | Hungary | Bulgaria | Japan |
| 1964 | Hungary | Czechoslovakia | Germany |
| 1960 | Yugoslavia | Denmark | Hungary |
| 1956 | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Bulgaria |
| 1952 | Hungary | Yugoslavia | Sweden |
| 1948 | Sweden | Yugoslavia | Denmark |
| 1936 | Italy | Austria | Norway |
| 1928 | Uruguay | Argentina | Italy |
| 1924 | Uruguay | Switzerland | Sweden |
| 1920 | Belgium | Spain | Netherlands |
| 1912 | Great Britain | Denmark | Netherlands |
| 1908 | Great Britain | Denmark | Netherlands |
| 1906 | Denmark | Mixed team | Greece-1 |
| 1904 | Canada | United States-1 | United States-2 |
| 1900 | Great Britain | France | Mixed team |
Photo: en.beijing2008.cn
