Mbappe confirms Real Madrid won’t let him play at the Olympics

Kylian Mbappe confirmed that his new club, Real Madrid, will not allow him to play in the Paris Olympics this summer. The 25-year-old striker had expressed a desire to participate in the home Games, but Real Madrid’s decision means he will miss out.

Mbappe was not included in France’s provisional Olympic squad announced on June 3, as Real Madrid stipulated that any player involved in Euro 2024 could not also play in the Olympics. Mbappe’s transfer to Real Madrid is set to be completed on a free transfer when his contract with Paris St-Germain expires on June 30.

“My club’s position was very clear, so from that moment on, I think I won’t be taking part in the Games,” Mbappe said. “That’s just the way it is, and I understand that too. I’m joining a new team in September, so it’s not the best way to start an adventure.”

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Mbappe, who will join the France team for their Euro 2024 campaign starting against Austria in Dusseldorf on Monday, added, “Now I think I’m going to wish this French team all the best. I’m going to watch every game. I hope they’ll bring home the gold medal.”

The men’s Olympic football competition begins on July 24, just 10 days after the Euro 2024 final, and concludes on August 9, a little over a week before the start of the La Liga season. Although the Olympic tournament is primarily for under-23 teams, each nation can include three over-age players in their squad.

France, two-time European champions, are among the favorites to win Euro 2024. Manager Didier Deschamps aims to become only the second person to win the Euros as both a player and a manager, following Germany’s Berti Vogts.