10 Players to Watch in the 2012 Olympics Men's Football Tournament

Neymar, Alexandre Pato, Hulk, Thiago Silva, Juan Mata, Javi Martinez, Jordi Alba, Iker Muniain, Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Daniel Sturridge, Ryan Giggs—all big names we know will make a splash in the men's football at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

But for every big name there is from Brazil, Spain, Uruguay, Great Britain, etc, waiting to destroy the likes of New Zealand, Belarus, United Arab Emirates and Honduras, there are also unknown talents waiting to prove their worth to the watching world.

And then there are those burgeoning stars finally getting their chance on an international stage to treble their transfer value and secure a big money move to a top team.

The men's football tournament at the 2012 Olympics is sure to be a spectacle, and will give even the most unheard of footballer a chance to shine.

Here are 10 players to watch in the competition.

Jack Butland is likely to be the starting goalkeeper for Team GB at the Olympics.

The 19-year-old Birmingham City shot-stopper provided back-up to Joe Hart for England at Euro 2012, and The FA believe he could challenge the Manchester City 'keeper for a starting role at the World Cup in 2014 if he gets regular game time.

And a good Olympics could give him exactly that—either at current club Birmingham or, if they cash in on his soon-to-be inflated transfer value, at a mid-table Premier League side.

A decent tournament he should have, with Butland able to show off all facets of his game—the matches with Senegal and UAE will test his communication and concentration, while facing Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani of Uruguay will put his shot-stopping ability to the test.

With this competition the springboard that could kick-start his career, it's certainly worth keeping track of Butland's progress.

With Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba and Moussa Sow ahead of him, Dame N'Doye is having no luck breaking into the senior Senegal team.

But the 27-year-old will have the perfect chance to prove his worth to his country at the Olympics, having been selected as one of three over-age players in the Senegal side.

The forward has never played for the under-age national teams, but he has five goals in 14 caps for the senior team, and at club level is an even better goal-getter.

He's scored 82 goals in 150 games so far for current club FC Copenhagen, and has broken the 20-goal barrier in his past three seasons in Denmark.

A prolific striker at club level, N'Doye has a point to prove, both to his country and to big teams across Europe.

Hamdan Al Kamali will arrive in London for the 2012 Olympics as his country's star defender, and one of their best ever talents.

The 23-year-old centre-back is the only player on the roster who's played for a foreign club, having spent time on loan at Ligue 1 giants Lyon last season.

Captain of the United Arab Emirates' U23 team, Al Kamali will run the show for the UAE in defence.

And he'll have a very busy time doing so, coming face-to-face with the likes of Cavani, Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, etc.

If the UAE are to miraculously qualify from Group A, it will most likely be down to Al Kamali.

His main strengths are his tackling, shot-blocking and ability to play the ball out from the back.

Playing against some of the best strikers in the world, he'll get the perfect chance to showcase those skills.

Gaston Ramirez finally has a chance with Uruguay at the 2012 Olympics to justify the hype.

The 21-year-old playmaker is the one of the most sought-after players in Europe, with virtually all the top clubs said to be interested in his signature.

Having had a very good season in Serie A for Bologna—where he scored eight goals, made four assists and hit 52 key passes (h/t WhoScored?)—Ramirez will pull the strings for his country in London, and will act as the main man behind Suarez and Cavani.

With such a world-class combination ahead of him, Ramirez should use his creativity on the ball and eye for a key pass to register a ton of assists, while he could also find the net a few times with his and Suarez's ability on link-up play.

Javier Aquino is a lightening-quick winger with Lionel Messi-esque control who will put the excitement factor into Mexico at the Olympics.

A speedy flanker who always likes to take on the full-back, the 22-year-old Cruz Azul star is a hopeless finisher and won't score any golazos. 

But he'll whack in a ton of great crosses, and against the likes of South Korea, Switzerland and Gabon in Group B, his play-making ability on the wing could wreak havoc for opposition defences.

One of the few unknown players capable of providing the wow factor, Javier Aquino is certainly a player to watch.

Likened to Liverpool star Steven Gerrard, Ki Sung-Yueng will be the key player in midfield for South Korea at the Olympics.

The 23-year-old holding mid is already a big star for his country, having already earned 45 caps for the senior team, and is set to run the show for the U23 side this summer.

An all-round midfielder with great passing, vision and control of the ball, as well as good tackling and strength thanks to his time with Celtic, the South Korean could see his transfer value rocket if he has a good tournament—quite likely given the modest opposition in Group B.

That is if Queens Park Rangers don't get in there first, with the Daily Mail reporting that the Premier League side are set to offer £8 million for the midfielder.

 A good showing at the Games in London could see the Korean stay there permanently.

One of the best upcoming trequartistas in Europe, Admir Mehmedi is the burgeoning youngster that Switzerland will rely on in the absence of Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka.

A heavily inconsistent player, 21-year-old Dynamo Kyiv star Mehmedi is worth a watch at the Olympics for one reason: his penchant for the spectacular.

With his expert control, great dribbling, lightening pace and strong shooting, the attacking midfielder on his day can score goals like this.

Despite their modest opposition in Group B, Gabon will be given no hope by pundits, journalists and fans alike.

But if one player can turn the odds in their favour, it's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The 23-year-old Saint-Etienne forward has had a stellar season for both club and country. 

In February, he was a key member of the Gabon side that reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations, scoring three goals in the tournament. For his club, he scored 16 goals and made seven assists in Ligue 1 last season.

Possibly Gabon's best ever player, the team will be worth watching at the Olympics thanks to Aubameyang.

If there's one player in Group C of the men's tournament who'll be more talismanic than most, it's not Neymar for Brazil.

Rather, it's Marwan Mohsen, the 23-year-old striker for Egypt who has scored a staggering 20 goals in 32 caps for the U23 team.

To put his importance to his team into perspective, the next best goalscoring striker is Mohamed Salah—who has six goals from 17 caps.

A goal-poacher with good finishing ability inside the penalty area, Mohsen will be worth a watch in Group C, especially against the weak defences of Belarus and New Zealand.

Against the might of Spain, the technical ability of Japan and the know-how of Morocco and Honduras don't stand much of a chance in Group D of the men's football tournament at the 2012 Olympics.

But if there's one player who can get them goals and secure a miraculous passage into the quarterfinals, it's their 21-year-old striker Eddie Hernandez.

Naturally, the staggeringly tall forward—standing at 195cm—is a beast in the air, and could pose significant problems for the less imposing defenders of all three of Honduras' opponents.

That, combined with his surprising pace and strong shot power, could see the forward--and his team--grab a few goals in the tournament and cause an upset.

An unknown quantity who could come into the spotlight at the Games, Hernandez--like the others on this list--is definitely worth a watch.