The United States won’t be facing Kylian Mbappé at the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean it should be breathing a huge sigh of relief.
France released its preliminary 25-man roster for the Olympics on Monday, and the host country did not include the Real Madrid star on the list.
Even France President Emmanuel Macron had lobbied for Mbappé to be at the Paris Games, saying last month that he was “counting upon Real Madrid to free up Kylian for the Olympic Games.”
Macron’s wish was not granted, however, in a move that wasn’t a huge surprise, given Mbappé’s commitments with France at Euro 2024 and the fact Real Madrid wasn’t obligated to release the superstar for the Olympics.
“Real Madrid were really straightforward about the Olympics,” coach Thierry Henry said at a news conference Monday.
“The last time I received so many rejections was at the university. There have not even been negotiations. You go, you ask, they say no and you leave.”
The side that Henry did call, however, was still formidable.
Among the names are PSG duo Warren Zaïre-Emery and Bradley Barcola, Nice star Khéphren Thuram, Crystal Palace pair Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise, Bayern Munich winger Mathys Tel, Chelsea’s Lesley Ugochukwu and several other highly rated talents.
Veteran forward Alexandre Lacazette, still a formidable presence for Lyon, is on the squad as an overage player, with each men’s team at the Olympics allowed three players born before the cutoff of January 1, 2001.
Henry will have to eventually cut his side down to 18 before France begins the Olympics against the U.S. on July 24 at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille.
Guinea and New Zealand were also drawn into Group A.
France preliminary Olympic squad
Goalkeepers: Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Obed Nkambadio (Paris FC), Guillaume Restes (Toulouse), Robin Risser (Dijon)
Defenders: Bafodé Diakité (Lille), Maxime Estève (Burnley), Bradley Locko (Brest), Castello Lukeba (Leipzig), Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg), Adrien Truffert (Rennes), Leny Yoro (Lille)
Midfielders: Maghnes Akliouche (Monaco), Joris Chotard (Montpellier), Désiré Doué (Rennes), Manu Koné (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Enzo Millot (Stuttgart), Khéphren Thuram (Nice), Lesley Ugochukwu (Chelsea), Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Arnaud Kalimuendo (Rennes), Alexandra Lacazette (Lyon), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Michael Olise (Crystal Palace), Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
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