If they let me do them…” Kylian Mbappé dreams of the Olympics, but he could miss the competition next July because of this very specific rule.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be at the heart of the news in the coming weeks and you may soon hear about them night and day. For all athletes, participating in the Olympics is a dream or a consecration, but unfortunately, not everyone can be there. For the football event, the French Olympic team is not the A team of Didier Deschamps, but the French hopeful team of Thierry Henry, Olympic spirit (and regulations) obliges. Each team must in fact be made up of players aged 23 years maximum at the time of Paris 2024, i.e. players born on or after January 1, 2001.
The former world champion and Arsenal player nevertheless has the authorization to take players who are not part of the hopeful selection. And it is precisely for this reason that Kylian Mbappé could miss the Olympics. Indeed, if the French striker has always indicated that he wanted to make the Olympic Games, Thierry Henry can only take three players who are over 23 years old in this year 2024 in a squad of 18 players maximum.
So will the former Arsenal player select Kylian Mbappé? The still attacking PSG explained that he wanted to do them, but that he would not alienate his club if the latter refused his request, especially since there is a Euro from June to July which will already wear out the players. organizations. “I have reached a stage in my life and my career where I no longer want to force things,” confided the 2018 world champion in the columns of GQ. “If they let me do them, I would go with great pleasure but if that is not possible, I would understand. For any athlete, the Olympics have a special place and I already wanted to go to Tokyo because I want to win everything and register my name in the history of the France team as that of a player who counted.”
Thierry Henry will therefore have to find a balance because Kylian Mbappé is not the only one who wants to participate in the Olympics. Antoine Griezmann spoke about it a few weeks ago. He confirmed that he would discuss with Madrid’s leaders “in due time” in order to persuade them to let his “dream” come true, participating in an “exceptional” moment like the Olympics. Olivier Giroud, AC Milan striker, also explained that he wanted to participate. The clubs will also have their say because Real have already announced to the FFF that they will not let go of their players.
The situation is completely different for women. Hervé Renard will have the same choices to make as during a classic international meeting because for the French women’s Olympic team there is no age limit to be able to participate in the Olympic Games.
In history, many big names in football have included the Olympic Games in their list of achievements, such as Ferenc Puskás in 1952, Lev Yachine in 1956, Samuel Eto’o in 2000, Lionel Messi in 2008, Neymar in 2012 and 2016, Marta in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020, or Alex Morgan in 2012, 2016 and 2020.