OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER
Why isn’t Kylian Mbappé playing for France against Argentina in the 2024 Olympic Games?
The new Real Madrid signing one of a large number of high-profile players who are not involved in the Paris 2024 men’s soccer tournament.
In a big-name clash in Bordeaux today, hosts France face Argentina in the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s soccer tournament. However, while the French boast some of the male game’s biggest stars, including Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, none of them are involved in Paris 2024.
Messi and Pulisic among missing stars at 2024 Olympics
France, of course, won’t be alone in being without the vast majority of their first-teamers: their last-eight opponents are without major figures such as Lionel Messi, and the likes of Christian Pulisic and Rodri Hernández have been absent for the United States and Spain, respectively.
According to Olympic regulations for the men’s tournament, each national team can select a maximum of three players over the age of 23, while the rest of the 18-man squad (plus four reserves) must consist of players born on or after January 1, 2001.
France roster for the 2024 Olympics men’s soccer tournament
Goalkeepers: Obed Nkambadio (Paris FC), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse)
Defenders: Loïc Badé (Sevilla), Bradley Locko (Brest), Castello Lukeba (RB Leipzig), Soungoutou Magassa (Monaco), Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg), Adrien Truffert (Rennes)
Midfielders: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Joris Chotard (Montpellier), Désiré Doué (Rennes), Manu Koné (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Enzo Millot (Stuttgart)
Forwards: Rayan Cherki (Lyon), Arnaud Kalimuendo (Rennes), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
Reserves: Théo De Percin (Auxerre), Andy Diouf (Lens), Chrislain Matsima (Monaco), Lesley Ugochukwu (Chelsea)
Alexandre Lacazette (France), Julián Álvarez (Argentina) and Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) are among the most high-profile stars who are representing their countries as overage players. However, France have opted not to select key men such as Mbappé (25) and Antoine Griezmann (33) for the Olympics, even though several hinted they would be interested in taking part, especially with it taking place in their own country.
At one point, Mbappé himself suggested he would like to represent France in the event, although it was reported that new club Real Madrid wouldn’t allow him to do so for fear of him being overworked. Lacazette, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta and Loïc Badé of Sevilla have been picked as France’s ‘veterans’ instead.
France vs Argentina: start time, how to watch
France and Argentina’s Olympic quarter-final is to be played at the Stade de Bordeaux today, Friday August 2, 2024, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm ET/12 noon PT. Viewers in the United States will be able to watch the match on nbcsports.com, the NBC Sports app, Peacock, Telemundo and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo. Your streaming options also include fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.
Stream the Olympics live on fuboTV.
Why is the Olympic men’s soccer tournament for under-23s?
Any country affiliated with FIFA is allowed to participate in the men’s Olympic tournament.
But world soccer’s governing body established the under-23 restriction to avoid qualified nations having to deal with schedule clashes when major international tournaments are played in the same year.
The World Cup is usually played two years either side of the Olympic Games, which are regularly held a few weeks after the European Championship and occasionally the Copa América, as is the case this year.