Kylian Mbappé recently announced that he does not anticipate being part of France’s Olympic men’s soccer team, following his exclusion from the preliminary list of 25 candidates for the 18-player roster. In an interview on Sunday, Mbappé stated that his club has made its stance clear on his participation in the Games, implying that he will not be taking part. He expressed his well-wishes to the French team and mentioned that he plans to support them by watching all their matches.
Although Mbappé had previously expressed his desire to represent France in the Paris Olympics while playing for PSG, his recent transfer to Real Madrid may impact his availability for the tournament. Real Madrid would need to give its approval for him to participate in the Olympics, and it is unlikely that they will do so.
The Olympic men’s soccer competition is typically reserved for U23 teams, with a few over-age exceptions. Mbappé and other top players from France are currently taking part in the European Championship, which is being held in Germany. Clubs are obligated to release players for continental championships like the European Championship, but they are not mandated to release players for the Olympics.
Due to concerns about fatigue and injury, clubs are generally reluctant to allow their players to participate in multiple lengthy tournaments during the offseason. This explains why Mbappé, who is already committed to the European Championship with France, is unlikely to be released by Real Madrid for the Olympics.
