The men’s Olympic soccer teams have been altered so that only players under 23 are allowed on the squad. There are no such restrictions on the women’s side, which means just about every country’s national team is fully intact and all of the greatest players in the world will go head to head on the biggest stage of them all.

The Olympics will try to imitate the same drama we saw in the 2011 women’s World Cup, in which Japan defeated the USA in the final in a penalty kick thriller. There figure to be plenty of superstars vying for gold at this edition of the Games, with Brazil, Great Britain, France, defending gold medalist United States, and plenty of others attempting to take Japan’s place on top of the soccer world.

Here are the marquee women’s players that you need to keep an eye on all throughout the 2012 Olympics.
 

The five-time world player of the year is acknowledged as one of the game’s true greats, regardless of gender. A well-travelled talent at only 26, Marta is known for her vision, her passing and her otherworldly ability to create and score goals.

She’s the best player in the women’s game at this time and the lynchpin of the Brazil squad.

The inspirational leader of the American team, the lanky striker is hoping she can add one more gold medal to her illustrious career. Second only to Mia Hamm on the all-time scoring list, Wambach is eager to put the memory of the 2008 Games behind her: she broke her leg in a friendly that saw her miss the entire tournament.

Wambach has been plagued by injuries of late — she declined to sign with a team in the offseason to rest up — and this is likely to be her final tournament at this level.

The breakout star of the 2011 Women’s World Cup, the Lyon midfielder is one of the best creative midfielders in the women’s game. She single-handedly carried France to their fourth-place finish at the Cup and now heads up a team that is expected to be a potential contender at this edition of the Olympics.

Blessed with great vision and passing ability, Necib is often compared to Zinedine Zidane in the French media due to their shared Algerian heritage. Small and quick, she is one of the most entertaining players in the women’s game.

The reigning world player of the year is hoping to add gold to Japan’s Women’s World Cup title, and even at 33, she has proved to be difficult for defenders to contain. The Golden Boot winner at the last Women’s World Cup was also the Cup’s MVP and she averages almost a goal every other game for the national team.

The heart and soul of Nadeshiko Japan, Sawa is also one of the most talented and dangerous players in the sport at these Games.

The Arsenal forward (and one-time star on the WPS Boston Breakers) is England’s career scoring leader. Slick and still fast at 33, this is perhaps Smith’s last ride in the rodeo. Serious injuries have dogged her career, and she hit a low last year when she arrived at Arsenal with a stress fracture in her foot — suffered when she kicked a ball for a promo video without a medically-ordered protective boot. When she’s healthy, she’s great.

The mouthy, makeup-wearing keeper for the States is also one of the game’s true international stars. One of the sport’s most magnetic figures, Solo overcame a difficult childhood and a disastrous 2007 World Cup to become one of the world’s best goalkeepers.

One of the game’s most marketed players, the Beijing gold medalist is the sport’s lone international sex symbol. Solo is no stranger to controversy: the latest trial was her flunking a doping test before the Games. Solo was cleared by the USADA, and will retain her spot.

The sparkplug for the USA out wide, the midfielder won the hearts of fans worldwide in the Women’s World Cup. Rapinoe gained fame in the quarters against Brazil when she delivered a brilliant cross to Abby Wambach deep in stoppage time of extra time to tie up the game. Rapinoe would sink her PK in the tiebreaker, and the USA advanced to the semifinals.

Speedy and quick-witted, Rapinoe is also one of the few openly gay athletes in the sport.

The prolific forward is the Kiwis’ all-time leading scorer and is entering her prime at only 27. A former member of the champion Arsenal Ladies squad, Hearn is currently one of the many New Zealand players plying their trade in Germany; she’s at former East German club powerhouse Jena.

Schelin has led her Lyon side to two straight Women’s Champions League titles and is the most experienced member of this Swedish team at the Games. Lanky and strong, she is deceptively fast for her size and is a skilled header of the ball.

She also is able to take over a game and is one of the top players to have never plied her trade in the USA: she declined a deal to move to WPS in 2008.

Canada’s all-time cap and scoring leader — she’s approaching 200 games for the Maple Leaves — Sinclair was a star for the WNY Flash before the collapse of WPS. A five-time nominee for FIFA Player of the Year, Sinclair is still in her prime at only 29 and will be the focal point for Canada’s attack this summer.