- Kylian Mbappe hoping to represent France at 2024 Olympics on home soil
- Forward set to join Real Madrid upon leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer
- New club are so far blocking their players from participating at the Games
French president Emmanuel Macron has vowed to put "maximum pressure" on Real Madrid to release Kylian Mbappe for the 2024 Olympics this summer.
Mbappe's time at Paris Saint-Germain is winding down as his contract nears its expiry next month. And while there has been no official announcement regarding his next club, the entire football world would be shocked if it was to be anyone other than Madrid.
But the forward faces an early problem, with his ambition to represent France at the Olympics on home soil clashing with Madrid so far refusing to let players participate at the tournament.
"I hope [Mbappe will be at the Olympics]. In any case, I put the maximum pressure on his 'future club'," Macron commented during an appearance this week.
"It's always the same, one game at a time. First, we have Euro 2024 football and they must win on 14 July," he added, with the date of the final falling on Bastille Day.
The Olympic tournament in France begins just ten days after the Euros conclude in Germany, leaving Mbappe precious little turnaround time should Les Bleus go the distance in the continental championship. Heading to the Olympics, which continue until 9 August, would also see him miss virtually all of his first pre-season with his new club and head into 2024/25 without a true break.
Madrid have made clear their stance on the Olympics, which already stands to affect the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, who would also have to be picked as one of the permitted over-age players at the otherwise Under-23 tournament – and Eduardo Camavinga.
Not yet a Madrid player, Mbappe revealed recently that he hadn't explicitly been told no.
"I always wanted to play at the Olympics and my desire has not changed," he said. "If I play the Olympics then it will be a dream, but if I'm not allowed to, then I will do as I'm told. The decision is still up to one person and they haven't told me yes or no."
Tchouameni stated when last on international duty in March: "From the moment Real Madrid decided to veto, I think we don't have much to say. Besides, everyone knows that it is not necessarily good to disagree with your employer in daily life. The truth is that we would have liked to. That will not be possible but we will be the first [to support France]."
Due to it falling outside of FIFA's official international calendar, teams are not automatically obliged to release their players as they would be for a World Cup or continental championship. That means it is at the discretion of each individual club whether to grant permission.
Lionel Messi encountered a similar issue in 2008 when Barcelona initially blocked him from competing for Argentina. But the future Ballon d'Or winner, who was already a key first-team player by then, had manager Pep Guardiola personally argue the case on his behalf, having benefitted himself from the rather unique experience of winning Olympic gold 16 years earlier in 1992.
Other stars to have won gold medals since men's Olympic football adopted its current fully professional but Under-23 format in 1992 include Neymar, Samuel Eto’o, Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano, Luis Enrique and Marquinhos.
