France’s head coach, Thierry Henry, has decided not to include Kylian Mbappé in the preliminary 25-man squad for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. This decision comes as a surprise to many, especially considering Mbappé’s stature in the world of football and the speculation surrounding his move to Real Madrid.
During a news conference, Henry mentioned that Real Madrid was a significant factor in Mbappé’s exclusion from the squad. It seems that the club was not willing to allow Mbappé to participate in his home Olympics, which has left many fans and pundits baffled.
Despite Mbappé’s absence, Henry was able to include some other notable names in the squad. Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta made the cut, along with Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich and Warren Zaïre-Emery from PSG. One of the more intriguing inclusions was Khéphren Thuram, the son of former France international Lilian Thuram and brother of Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram.
It is important to note that the Olympic squad must adhere to certain rules regarding player eligibility. Each team must consist entirely of players born on or after January 1, 2001, with the possibility of including up to three players born before that date.
Thierry Henry’s decision to exclude Kylian Mbappé from the France Olympic squad has raised many questions and sparked debate among football fans. While the squad still boasts talented players, the absence of Mbappé is a significant blow. Only time will tell how this decision will impact France’s performance in the upcoming Olympic Games.