Real Madrid are reportedly banning their players from taking part at the 2024 Olympic in Paris this August, said L’equipe. This would be an obstacle for the French national team who are targeting gold on their home soil. Kylian Mbappe, who is rumoured to be announced as Los Blancos player at the end of the season, would also be included in this policy.
Real Madrid have concerns regarding players’ fitness this summer. Apart from the Olympics there will also be EURO 202 and Copa America beforehand. Playing a back-to-back tournament with a limited rest would damage players’ condition, let alone in the summer which should be used as a break period.
L’quipe’s report is contradictory to Kylian Mbappe’s previous statement on the Olympics
Earlier in January, Mbappe said something that opposed the L’equipe report, expressing his desire to play for his national team in the Olympics. He said that the multisports event was also on the bucket list of his career.
“I’ve always had the ‘Olympic flame’,” he said via the Olympics official website. “Along with the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games are the biggest sports event in the world.
“The Games in Paris, 100 years after [the last time they were held in the city]… mean the world to me. The idea of competing at the Games with France would be an extraordinary opportunity. It’s actually more of a dream than an opportunity.”
France will be managed by the legendary Thierry Henry as the FFF appointed him to place Sylvain Rippol who led the team to the Olympics. In one of the interviews with Sky, Henry acknowledged Mbappe’s quality despite being only 25 years old.
“When the guy goes to a World Cup, goes to a final, he plays two World Cups and he’s been in two finals,” Henry told Sky Sports. “He scored a hat-trick in the final. He already scored four goals in the finals of World Cups. How long has he been playing? It’s just ridiculous. The sky’s the limit for him.”
In the same report, L’equipe also stated that Mbappe is not pushing Madrid to allow him play, meaning that the player is okay with the statement. The former Monaco striker is not the only French national in Madrid as Aurelién Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are also part of the team.
France are up for the second gold’s quest
This would leave France to play without several star players including Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann. The regulation allows all contestants to play three players above 23 years old which is believed that France would plot Griezmann into the scenario.
The France national football team won one gold medal during their participation in the Summer Olympics back in 1984. They beat Brazil 2-0 in the final thanks to Francois Brisson and Daniel Xuereb goals in the second half.