Rio 2016 men's, Group D: Argentina returns to Olympics with baggage

The charade at the board level of the Argentina Football Association (AFA) finally seeped onto the pitch.

It all started when FIFA put the AFA under the control of an independent panel following allegations of corruption. Argentina's heartbreaking shootout loss to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final then followed.

Lionel Messi announced his retirement, and Argentinian football descended into chaos.

Manager Gerardo Martino stepped down as manager just before the AFA selected its team for the Olympics. He resigned out of protest, given that he only had nine players confirmed for Rio 2016. Clubs refused to release players for the tournament, and Martino couldn't secure standouts Mauro Icardi or Paulo Dybala.

"We got the team out with forceps," Argentina Olympic Committee president Gerardo Werthein told La Nacion, according to Reuters.

There were fears Argentina would have to withdraw from the Olympics, but the Albiceleste will arrive in Brazil after all, and look to repeat the gold-medal performances from the 2008 Games in Beijing. (They didn't qualify for the 2012 edition in London.)

Standing in Argentina's way are Portugal - the runner-up at last year's Under-21 European Championship - Algeria, and Honduras.

Group Schedule

4 Players to Watch

Argentina: Jonathan Calleri

A target for several European clubs this summer, Jonathan Calleri is the star attraction of this Argentina squad. The 22-year-old led scoring in the Copa Libertadores this season with nine goals in 12 appearances, helping Sao Paulo to a semi-final finish. Calleri is a finisher in the purest sense, and he can time his runs to perfection. He's capable of both the spectacular and the routine. Expect the in-demand striker to test all defences, starting with Portugal on Aug. 4.

Portugal: Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes is the leader of Portugal's Olympic outfit. He didn't get a chance to participate for the Selecao at last year's under-21 tournament, but he's emerged as the captain of this edition. He's beginning to outgrow his surroundings at Udinese, and he has designs on playing for the senior Portugal side during its 2018 World Cup qualifying cycle.

Honduras: Elder Torres

One of the biggest shocks of Olympic qualifying, Honduras managed to beat the U.S. to send the Americans into a playoff that they ultimately lost. In many ways, Honduras is the reason why the U.S. men's national team isn't travelling to Rio. A big part of that Honduran effort was Elder Torres, a left-back who can also deputise as a defensive midfielder. He's a standout player for Real Salt Lake's USL affiliate, Real Monarchs, and he looks set for bigger things.

Algeria: Rachid Ait-Atmane

Rachid Ait-Atmane is one of just two players on Algeria's squad to practise their trade in Europe. He's coming off his first full top-flight campaign with Sporting Gijon, where he earned regular minutes as the Rojiblancos narrowly avoided relegation. He's not expected to score goals, but he's relied on to recycle possession and keep things organised.

Upset Potential

Argentina and Portugal are the clear favourites to progress from Group D, but Honduras has an outside chance of stealing a spot of its own. Los Catrachos - who are participating in their third consecutive Olympics - could mount a potential upset win over Argentina in their second match of the group stage, considering the Albiceleste are now playing under hastily appointed manager Julio Olarticoechea. If Argentina can't get goals from Calleri, Angel Correa, or Giovanni Simeone, there could be an opening.

Predicted Finish

Expect Portugal to sweep all of its games. The Iberian peninsula seems to have its football programme running at full strength in both the youth and senior sectors. The majority of these Portugal internationals play in their home country, and it could be a coming-out party for many of them.

1. Portugal
2. Argentina
3. Honduras
4. Algeria