Will Kylian Mbappé compete in the 2024 Olympics under Thierry Henry? Nothing is less certain today.
The Paris Olympic Games are in six months, and one of the announced stars of the event is none other than Kylian Mbappé. However, the person concerned has no guarantee to date of being part of the French youth. Even if Thierry Henry would be ready to entrust him with the keys to his selection, alongside Antoine Griezmann for example.
“ In the U20s, from one match to the next, we don’t know who we can count on. Who could have guessed a year ago that Warren Zaire-Emery would be in A? To keep a thread, it’s not easyrecalls the Bleuets coach in an interview with Agence France Presse. This is even more true when preparing for the Olympics which, as you know, do not fit into the FIFA dates. We are then at the mercy of the clubs’ desire to release their players or not. »
Henry fatalist, Mbappé too
The precision is important: clubs are not required to release their players for selections outside the Fifa calendar. “ Let’s say I want a player and his current club accepts. If he is transferred during the summer, who tells me his new club will want to release him? » A situation which could well be that of Kylian Mbappé, at the end of his contract next June. “ I don’t know where he will end up but the club will have a say. I haven’t contacted him about this yet. », admits Thierry Henry.
Surveyed on the subject for Envoyé Spécial these days, the captain of the France team himself cannot be categorical. “ This means so much to me. Participating in the Olympics with France, and in Paris, is an extraordinary opportunity. It’s even a dream rather than an opportunity. But it’s not up to mebreathes Kylian Mbappé. I’ve said it before, I’ve reached an age where I no longer want to force things. Everyone knows that I want to play in the Olympics but if my club doesn’t want to, I will understand that. I have the maturity to understand both sides. »
