Team GB set for shock return to men’s football for 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles

TEAM GB is set to bring back a men’s football team for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

That’s despite concerns being raised by the Scottish FA in the past that an all-British team could jeopardise the unique status of the Home Nations within world football.

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England’s women were one goal away from qualifying GB for Paris, having reached the last eight in Tokyo, but the London Games of 2012 was the only time since 1960 that a GB men’s side has taken part.

That squad included Rangers keeper Jack Butland, ex-Ibrox loanee Aaron Ramsey, former Celtic attackers Scott Sinclair and Craig Bellamy and one-time Dundee defender Steven Caulker.

But no Scots were included, with the SFA discouraging players from being called up.

Even though the Welsh FA was originally sceptical of the idea, the British Olympic Association and coach Stuart Pearce elected to call upon several of their players including Bellamy, Ramsey, Neil Taylor, Joe Allen and Ryan Giggs, who captained the side.

Another factor back then was that the Scotland national team hadn’t qualified for a major tournament since 1998, their world ranking was hovering in the 50s and 60s and there were precious few players playing for top sides the Premier League.

The current crop has reached back-to-back Euros and only lost in the play-offs when trying to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

John McGinn, Scott McTominay and Andy Robertson are all stars for elite clubs in England and further afield the likes of Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams are strutting their stuff in Serie A (and Billy Gilmour could soon be joining them).

Of course, 2028 is four years away and given the Olympics functions as an under-23 tournament on the men‘s side (only three overage players are allowed to be picked), it’s unlikely we’ll see many of the household names of the current Scotland squad called up for LA.

But perhaps one talent who could feasibly be considered a potential starter for a Team GB XI in 2028 would be 18-year-old Liverpool starlet Ben Doak, who only be 22 by then.

2028 will also be a Euros year and the impact of that on a Team GB squad with relation to Scotland could work two ways.

The Home Nations are due to host Euro 2028 but Uefa can only award a maximum of two automatic qualifying spots to host countries.

Therefore, Scotland (or indeed any of the five Home Nations) could miss out.

If Scotland didn’t qualify for the Euros and other nations do, Team GB could therefore lean heavier on Scottish players for their tournament in LA.

But if there are better players available from other Home Nations in four years’ time then of course Scots could be passed over.

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Regardless of the ins and outs, Team GB chiefs are targeting a return of the men’s football side for the LA Games.

CEO of the BOA, Andy Anson, said: “It’s something I would dearly love to see happen.

“I would like to work with the FA, with the SFA, with the Welsh and the Northern Irish FA, if we can make it happen. It would be brilliant.

“Seeing the women’s team compete is brilliant, and I would love to see the men’s team compete in the same way.”

The FA will give their backing to the plans but the SFA, and their Welsh and Irish counterparts, aren’t so sure.

Concerns remain that forming a GB side could threaten their independent status with Fifa.

But at Tokyo 2020 there were three Scots in the women’s squad: Sandy MacIver, Kim Little and Caroline Weir.

Team GB bosses are understood to be pushing for a major change of stance from the SFA.

Anson also suggested that the willingness of the cricket, golf and other home nations sports governing bodies to come together under the Team GB label could pave the way for the Home Nations’ footie authorities to follow suit.

He said: “We’ve got good experience in golf, in rugby, in women’s football, of how the four nations can come together and nominate one country to be the main qualifying body, and work with the other countries.”

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