As Africa aims for a third gold medal in the Olympic men's football tournament, following the success of Nigeria in 1996 and Cameroon in 2000, BBC Sport's Durosimi Thomas looks at the chances of the continent's three representatives.

This is the Olympic debut of Ivory Coast, and as a conveyor belt of young talent, they are expected to impress in Beijing, and fans in China are guaranteed to see entertaining football from the Baby Elephants.

Kalou is Ivory Coast's star player in Beijing

Ivory Coast have a habit of unveiling talents at international youth championships, such as Serge Die and Bonaventure Kalou, who played at the 1997 Under-20 World Cup in Malaysia.

At the 2003 Under-20 World Cup, Arouna Kone and Francois Zoko shone for them.

With that reputation, Ivory Coast should expect to be taken seriously in a group that includes two of the senior team's opponents at the 2006 World Cup.

In Beijing, just like in Germany, Ivory Coast are up against Argentina in the opening game, and they will also play Serbia. Australia are the other team in the group.

Salomon Kalou, who plays for English Premier League side Chelsea, is the most prominent name in the Young Elephants side selected by French coach Gerard Gili.

Another star is Gervais yao Kouassi, better known as Gervinho, of French side Le Mans.

Although the majority of the side are based abroad, Gili has called up goalkeeper Vincent Angban, defender Serge Wawa and striker Antoine Ngossan, all from the Asec Academy in Abidjan.

With 13 goals in the qualifiers Ivory Coast arrive in Beijing as the most prolific side from Africa.

Their best record at international youth level is third at the Under-17 World Cup in Canada in 1987.

It is safe to say that the 2000 Sydney Olympic champions are unpredictable.

Cameroon's footballers at the medal presentation in 2000

Eight years ago, the senior Cameroon side had just emerged as African champions, and several members of that triumph were in Australia.

But the campaign only gathered steam after a dramatic quarter-final elimination of Brazil, winning 2-1 after extra-time with nine men.

The title holders failed to qualify for the Athens Olympics four years later.

Beijing will be the Indomitable Lion Cubs' third appearance - their debut was in Los Angeles 1984.

Some of the Cameroon's golden greats were there - Theophilus Abega, Joseph-Antoine Bell, Roger Milla and Emmanuel Kunde.

The current generation includes members of the Africa Cup of Nations squad who were runners-up earlier this year - Stephane Mbia, the tough defender Andre Bikey and the impressive Alexandre Song.

Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o is not in the squad, but one new attraction is Portsmouth's Franck Songo'o, the son of former Deportivo la Coruna and Cameroon goalkeeper Jacques Songo'o.

The squad changed often during the qualifiers in a fairly tough group which included Morocco, Guinea and Botswana.

But the Lion Cubs were able to pull through despite losing twice, and Cameroon scored the record win in the African qualifiers, beating Guinea 6-1.

Drawn in a group that includes Honduras, Italy and South Korea, the Lion Cubs are certainly seen with a chance to advance further.

Some interesting names are included in the Nigerian squad as they attempt to win a second Olympic Gold.

Celebrations as Nigeria beat Brazil in the 1996 Olympic semi-final

There will be two colossal absentees, though, after coach Samson Siasia excluded Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi for missing the qualifiers and dropped Taye Taiwo at the last minute.

Taiwo was at the centre of a tug-of-war between Nigeria and French side Marseille.

Nigeria became the first African side to win football gold, in Atlanta 12 years ago, when the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Emmanuel Amunike and Daniel Amokachi beat Brazil and Argentina in style on the path to glory.

Ghana had won bronze in Barcelona four years earlier.

In the current side, passionately called the "Dream Team IV", are Peter Odemwingie who has three Nations Cup experiences to boast of, Solomon Okoronkwo, Isaac Promise and Victor Anichebe.

Siasia, who himself played at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, knows his players well, having been with them from Under-20 level three years ago.

Nigeria had to qualify from a tough group which included South Africa and arch-rivals Ghana.

Nigeria are among the traditional powerhouses of African football and expectations will be high not only in Nigeria but the entire continent.

On paper it will be the Netherlands and Nigeria who are the hot favourites to progress from the group but Japan and the United States are certainly not complete write-offs.

As Nigeria make their sixth Olympics appearance, many will see it as a major upset if the Eagles fail to progress beyond the group stage.

Argentina and Brazil must be the favourites for Olympic Gold, with European under-21 champions Holland also holding a big chance.

But the African challenge is strong, and all three teams from the continent can be expected to progress beyond the group stage.

Ivory Coast are the dark horses of the tournament, and they may well get as far as the semi-finals, as could Nigeria.

Nigeria beat Brazil in the semi-finals in 1996, before defeating Argentina in the final - a path that may have to be revisited if there is to be African gold again.