Complete Guide to Women's Soccer at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Only 12 months have passed since the United States of America beat all of the competition to win the 2015 FIFA World Cup in Canada.

Questions were raised over some of their early performances, but with Carli Lloyd coming to form at the perfect time, the U.S. rode to victory.

Women's World Cup final 2015: USA beat Japan 5-2 – in pictures http://t.co/SHIz1z1CEq (Pic: Getty) @Daff_25 pic.twitter.com/C4HpdVApKL

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) July 6, 2015

That was the third time they have won football's top prize, and this summer they start as the favourites in a quest to claim their fifth women's football Olympic gold medal.

Brazil disappointed in Canada, but the hosts—with the home crowd behind them—will hope to do better than the men's team did in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

In 2015, the Brazilian FA, the CBF, founded a permanent women's team with the aim that they would peak at this summer's tournament.

There is a certain amount of pressure on them to perform, but the same could be said of Australia, Japan, Germany, Sweden and France.

All of the aforementioned countries will have medal hopes in sight, but they are all playing for the chance to challenge the Americans.

Unlike the men's competition, there are no age restrictions in the women's tournament. The 2016 Rio Olympics will see the full international sides do battle for the gold medal.

That's why it is deemed so important as a fixture in the women's football calendar.

#Rio2016 Football Tournament starts in 3 days!
Study up & impress your friends w/these statshttps://t.co/AFzY32bKct pic.twitter.com/rB0WjC6wkV

— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) July 31, 2016

Three groups of four will play out the initial group stage. Each team plays three games with the top two from each group progressing to the quarter-finals.

They will be joined by the two best placed third-placed teams.

Eight remaining teams will play single knockout games all the way until the August 19 final at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. The losers from the semi-finals will play off in Sao Paulo in the bronze-medal match.

Group E

Brazil, China, Sweden, South Africa

Group F

Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Germany

Group G

United States, New Zealand, France, Colombia

It's no surprise that the USA start as the favourites for the gold medal. Since women's football was introduced into the Olympics, only once, at the 2000 Sydney games, have they not won gold—that year they had to settle for silver.

Slightly controversially, Great Britain will not be at the Games, even though England technically won a place at the games with their third-place finish in Canada.

No one had expected England to reach that stage of the World Cup, and their success at reaching the semi-finals sparked a resurgence of opinion that Team GB should be competing in Rio.

Seeing this just winds me up about the lack of a Team GB women's football presence, all over again. https://t.co/cGxIAJdNbG #inahuff

— Jen O'Neill (@SheKicksdotnet) April 27, 2016

Kelly Simmons, the Football Association’s director of women’s football, told BBC Sport (h/t Press Association, via the Guardian) at the time it would be difficult for Team GB to compete without the support of other home nations:

It’s devastating for the women’s game but I don’t think there is any way back. It’s a real shame, not only for the players who have worked so hard to get to the semi-finals, but also for women’s football. Those sorts of opportunities for coverage and profile don’t come around that often.

In their absence, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Norway played in a tournament hosted by the Dutch. With two wins from three games, Pia Sundhage's Sweden team put a dismal World Cup behind them to reach the Rio Games.

Competition outside of the USA is fierce. France and Germany will want to show that they are still the powerhouse nations in Europe.

Australia have demonstrated steady improvement recently, with a notable win when knocking Brazil out of the World Cup an example of this, and the Matildas arrive in Rio looking for a medal.

The Olympics is about great stories, so make a note to watch out for Zimbabwe—qualifying for the women's tournament for the first time after surprisingly beating Cameroon on away goals in the CAF tournament.

The Mighty Warriors were not part of last year's World Cup, and it shows just how quickly the women's game is developing in Africa.

In the second edition of the women's football tournament in 2000, the USA beat Brazil 1-0 in Canberra to reach their second consecutive final.

However, despite taking a fifth-minute lead, they were pegged back by a determined Norwegian side and, although Tiffeny Milbrett scored her and the USA's second in injury time, it was Dagny Mellgren who scored the winner for the Scandinavians in extra time.

To this day, and in the five times the women's competition has been held at the Olympics, that is the only time the U.S. have not won the gold medal.

In London four years ago, it was Lloyd who was the U.S. hero, scoring twice at Wembley Stadium to help her country beat Japan 2-1.

USA win gold in women's football following a 2-1 win over Japan at Wembley. Just a mere 80,203 people there to see that! #bbc2012

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 9, 2012

Brazil won silver at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics; China are the other nation to finish second.

Germany are the bridesmaids of this tournament, winning bronze on three occasions—2000, 2004 and Beijing 2008. That means in three consecutive Olympics, they were eliminated one game from the gold-medal match.

Canada won bronze in 2012, beating France 1-0 in injury time.

When you mention Brazil's women's national team, it's hard not to mention Marta. She is the star and regarded as one of the best players to grace the game.

Yet, when you are looking at the history of this tournament, you have to give a nod to her partner-in-crime, Cristiane.

🇧🇷🏅#Rio2016
Cristiane targeting goals and glory at her home Olympicshttps://t.co/g5qtMK1xcX pic.twitter.com/oTrH99bCTK

— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) July 23, 2016

She finished as the top scorer in 2004—joint with Germany's Birgit Prinz—when Brazil grabbed silver. She then did it again in 2008, again with five goals, as Brazil finished runners-up once again.

Eight years later, now a 31-year-old forward with Paris Saint-Germain, Cristiane is on the squad once again, hoping to push her nation one step further on home soil.

Lotta Schelin: Sweden

She's one of the biggest names still in the current game. Off the back of seven straight Division I titles in France, Schelin has dazzled and delighted for both club and country.

Scoring 84 times in 165 games for Sweden, this classy and iconic forward is the leader of her country's attack. She disappointed at the World Cup and, after leaving Lyon and returning home to Rosengard, she arrives in Rio ready to return to greatness.

Lisa De Vanna: Australia

There is nothing to dislike about Lisa De Vanna. She has a fighting spirit that has driven her to 39 goals in 112 games for the Matildas.

She's quick, skilful and a deadly finisher. This is her second Olympics, and she will be hoping to fire her country higher than a best-ever fifth-place finish.

Christine Sinclair: Canada

You can't have a women's football tournament without mentioning Christine Sinclair. Only the retiring Abby Wambach has scored more goals in international football.

In 243 games, Sinclair has found the net 162 times. Four years ago, she was the national hero once again as her six goals fired Canada to a bronze medal. They had only finished eighth before the London Olympics.

She may be 33 years old, but she will always know where the goal is.

The women's tournament is not age limited like the men's equivalent, but that doesn't mean youth won't be given a chance this summer.

Throughout the squads, you will find some of the brightest young stars of the women's game. Amongst the 12 teams, there are also four teenagers who will get a chance on the world stage.

Linda Motlhalo of South Africa, Canada's Deanne Rose, the 16-year-old Ellie Carpenter of Australia and, the star of the quartet, USA's 18-year-old, Mallory Pugh.

Mallory Pugh's future is now. @rjcurren on #USWNT's 4-0 win over Costa Rica, and Rio: https://t.co/lEZZUjVvM0 pic.twitter.com/wvJJVhqa6o

— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) July 23, 2016

The speedy forward burst into Jill Ellis' squad after the World Cup. She already has 13 caps and has become an established part of the team.

Pugh has the ability to light up this tournament and become a major star this summer. If the USA are to go all the way to another gold medal, then she will play a huge part.