It was a disappointment for Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi who both expressed a desire to play at the Paris Olympics but were unable to do so due to restrictions imposed by FIFA. The age-old power struggle in men’s soccer led to two key rules for Olympic rosters: only three players can be over 23 years old, and professional clubs are not obligated to release players for the tournament.
This second rule dashed Mbappé’s hopes, despite efforts from even French President Emmanuel Macron to intervene. “I’ve always said that the Games in Paris are special, and I wanted to be there,” Mbappé lamented. However, Real Madrid, his club, refused to release him, citing their authority as his employer. As Mbappé’s French teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni explained, “If Real Madrid puts a veto, there’s not much to say.”
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