This summer time, Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence, Mayra Ramirez, Sandy Baltimore, Eve Perisset, Sjoeke Nusken, and Maika Hamano will signify their respective nations on the enduring worldwide stage.

For that group, the highway to glory begins right now (Thursday) with the primary spherical of group stage fixtures kicking off at 4pm.

And as our Blues start their campaigns throughout France, with seven cities throughout the nation internet hosting the ladies’s soccer occasion, we’ve appeared again on earlier video games the place present Chelsea stars featured…

What higher place to begin than London 2012 – and with our new head coach Sonia Bompastor and assistant Camille Abily.

Each featured at what was France’s first look within the girls’s soccer occasion. They might go on to complete fourth after shedding to Canada within the bronze medal match which was performed in Coventry.

4 years later in 2016, Abily represented Les Bleues at her second Olympics, with Bompastor having ended her illustrious enjoying profession three years prior. Quite a few present Blues would additionally characteristic in Brazil, with some even scooping medals.

Making their Olympics debut could be Buchanan and Lawrence of Canada, whereas Sam Kerr additionally made her bow on the identical stage, representing Australia.

There could be a conflict of the soon-to-be Blues within the group phases as Canada lined up towards the Matildas. It was Buchanan and Lawrence who claimed bragging rights after successful 2-0, however each nations went on to succeed in the knock-outs.

Kerr’s Australia exited the competitors after shedding to Brazil on penalties within the quarter-final, whereas our Canadian duo went on to assert a bronze medal after beating the identical South American opponents within the third-place play-off.

It was back-to-back bronze medals for Canada, who gained the identical prize at London 2012, and Lawrence performed her half in that 2-1 victory over Brazil as she assisted the opening objective.

There was loads of Chelsea illustration on the delayed video games in Tokyo in 2021 with 9 of our present gamers in motion for his or her respective nations.

It proved to be a really totally different version of the video games as a result of Covid-19 pandemic. Athletes donned masks. Isolation protocols have been adopted. Spectators might solely watch on from televisions in properties across the globe.

Nice Britain returned for the match in Japan for the primary time since internet hosting the video games in 2012, with Millie Brilliant and Sophie Ingle – named as a co-captain – chosen. Niamh Charles was named as a travelling reserve.

In the identical group as Nice Britain was Canada, who once more had Buchanan and Lawrence of their ranks. In the meantime, Australia have been skippered by Kerr as they confronted Zecira Musovic and Nathalie Bjorn’s Sweden and the USA, who chosen Catarina Macario, within the group phases.

There have been a number of battles between Blues within the knock-out rounds, too, as Kerr and the Matildas knocked out GB within the quarter-finals, however the Aussies would miss out on the possibility to play for gold medal after shedding to the Swedes within the semi-final.

Though Canada beat the USA within the different last-four conflict, Macario and her team-mates might nonetheless add to America’s spectacular medal haul on this occasion, as they confronted Kerr’s Australia within the third-place play-off.

And it could be the previous who claimed bronze as america secured a sixth medal in seven appearances on the Olympics.

Now to the primary occasion, the gold medal conflict: Sweden v Canada. A battle of the 2016 silver and bronze medalists. Who would declare that elusive gold medal?

Defender Bjorn began for Sweden whereas Blues goalkeeper Musovic was named on the bench. As that they had finished all through the match, Buchanan and Lawrence additionally featured from the beginning for Canada.

It was benefit Sweden after 34 minutes earlier than former Chelsea midfielder Jessie Fleming leveled the sport by means of a penalty within the 67th minute.

And it was from spot that the sport was determined following a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Canada prevailed 3-2 winners on penalties, claiming a first-ever gold medal in girls’s soccer on the Olympics.

Will they defend their title in Paris or will one other Blue write their identify into the Olympic historical past books? We should watch on and see…

Good luck, to all our Blues!