OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER
Why isn’t Kylian Mbappé playing for France against Egypt in 2024 Paris Olympics semifinal?
Real Madrid new boy Kylian Mbappé is one of a large number of high-profile players who are not involved in the Paris 2024 men’s soccer tournament.
Chasing only their second ever Olympic title in men’s soccer, hosts France face Egypt today in the semifinals of the Paris 2024 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 the 33rd Summer Olympics.
Messi and Pulisic among missing stars at 2024 Olympics
France, of course, aren’t alone in being without the vast majority of their first-teamers: quarterfinal opponents Argentina were without major figures such as Lionel Messi, and the likes of Mohamed Salah and Rodri Hernández have been absent for Egypt 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 Egypt: start time, how to watch
France and Egypt’s Olympic semifinal is to be played at the Stade de Lyon in Décines-Charpieu today, Monday August 5, 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, Universo, Universo Now and Telemundo Deportes En Vivo. Your streaming options also include fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.
Stream the Olympic soccer live on fuboTV.
You can follow live-text commentary of France vs Egypt at AS USA.
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.