OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER
Why isn’t Kylian Mbappé playing for France against Team USA in the 2024 Olympic Games?
The new Real Madrid superstar is among the huge number of high-profile players not taking part in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The men’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris got underway on Wednesday, July 24, with the host nation in action on the first day against Team USA. While France is home to some of world soccer’s biggest stars, including Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappé, none of them will be playing in the event on home soil.
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, with Lionel Messi not lining up for Argentina, Christian Pulisic absent for the United States and Rodri not featuring for Spain.
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 will be 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 the ‘veterans’ instead.
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.