Paris Olympics: star names in short supply in men’s football, which is also minus Brazil
- The Euros and Copa America tournaments, and the event being held outside a Fifa window, have deprived Paris of some of the biggest names
Kylian Mbappe wanted to take part in this year’s Olympics in his home city, while there were hopes that Lionel Messi would feature for Argentina, but instead the men’s football tournament at the Paris Games will be largely devoid of star attractions.
As captain of France and the most famous athlete in the country hosting this year’s Games, Mbappe’s presence in coach Thierry Henry’s Olympic squad would have been an enormous boost for organisers as well as for the team’s chances of winning gold.
But Mbappe, 25, had to accept that his new club Real Madrid would not allow him to participate immediately after he played in the French side that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 in Germany.
That is the problem for the men’s football competition, which begins on Wednesday and runs until August 9.
Clubs are not obliged to release players for a tournament held outside an official Fifa window for international football, following straight on from the European Championship and Copa America.
