The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has soon been a year ago, notably thanks to a grandiose spectacle on the Seine and in the emblematic monuments of the capital. Among the highlights, the organizers had decided to integrate several major figures of sport, French and international, such as Zinedine Zidane, Carl Lewis or Rafael Nadal. In this prestigious framework, Kylian Mbappé, freshly surrounded by his exploits with the French team at the Euro, had been asked by Tony Estanguet, the president of the organizing committee, to participate in this historic moment.
But, according to the revelations of Chained duckthe Real Madrid striker would have declined this proposal. The newspaper indicates that Mbappé wanted to be the last carrier of the flame, a place already attributed to the legends Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec. A version disputed by the player himself on his X account, where he denies having wanted this responsibility, saying that he was simply on vacation, without any particular link with the Olympic Games: “You forgot to say that I also wanted to be the leader of the French basketball team, I think…. I was just quiet, on vacation at the other end of the globe. No reason to be the last flame carrier since I have no history with the Olympic Games ”. These revelations had aroused a small controversy, emphasizing the tensions around the Place de Mbappé in this major national sporting event. But this Saturday, the newspaper persists and signs by giving other details.
A choice that shocked internally!
“”Kylian Mbappé has a little quickly denied information from the “Canard”: the football star had indeed refused to wear the flame for the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games 2024». THE Chained duck revealed other information that quickly reacted Kylian Mbappé: According to the satirical newspaper, the football star refused to wear the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Contrary to what he said about X by denying any involvement with the Olympic Games, Mbappé would have actually declined this proposal. The duck specifies that the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (COJO) wanted it to be “the masked man”, a symbolic role consisting in carrying the Olympic torch before transmitting it to the legend Zinedine Zidane. This strategy was aimed at creating a strong and mysterious moment, but Mbappé, then on vacation and new Real Madrid player, would have refused on the pretext that he would not be the last carrier of the flame. The newspaper also insists that the footballer would also have declined to carry the flame to Bondy, his hometown, on July 25. Kylian Mbappé, as captain of the Blues and emblematic figure of French sport, surprised more than one by refusing to wear the Olympic flame during the largest global sports competition organized in his own country.
The satirical newspaper confirms the reliability of its sources and maintains its revelations despite the public denial of Mbappé. According to the newspaper, the star's refusal would not be a simple whim, but would result from in -depth exchanges between the Cojo and Tony Estanguet, president of the committee, who had considered this staging to make an impression. The role attributed to Mbappé, although importantly on the symbolic level, did not give him the place of the last carrier, which seems to have motivated his refusal. This case highlights tensions around communication and management of emblematic figures in a major event like the Olympic Games. Le Canard Enchaîné Thus offers new lighting behind the scenes of the opening ceremony, revealing a Kylian Mbappé ready to defend his position with firmness. As captain of the Blues and emblematic figure of French sport, he surprised more than one by refusing to wear the Olympic flame during the largest world sports competition organized in his own country. This gesture, which may seem paradoxical coming from a national leader, underlines the tensions between its symbolic role and the conditions imposed by the organizing committee of the Olympic Games. Refusing such a prestigious honor, in a major event in Paris, challenges all the more when you consider the central place occupied by Mbappé in French football and the media attention that surrounds it. This choice thus reveals a firm posture and a certain concern for personal recognition, which goes beyond the simple sports framework to touch the questions of image and symbol.
THE Chained duck highlights this apparent contradiction: how can the captain of the Blues decline such a prestigious role in his homeland, even though the Olympic Games represent a unique moment of national unity and celebration of sport? The refusal of Mbappé, motivated in particular by the fact that he would not be the last carrier of the flame, testifies to a complex report in honor and visibility during a planetary event. This also raises the question of the balance between individuality and collective representation in high -level sport. In this, the player's attitude reveals a strong symbolic dimension, which goes beyond simple participation to question the very meaning of his role as captain and sports icon in France. That a player of the stature of Kylian Mbappé, captain of the Blues, refuses to wear the Olympic flame during the Olympic Games organized in his own country, it is a real snub to the institution and the spirit of the event. Refuse this honor, especially on the pretext of not being the last carrier, borders on egocentrism in the largest world sports competition. This throws a shadow on the image of unifying that is expected of a national leader and controversial as to his symbolic commitment to French sport.
