Kylian Mbappe has publicly confirmed he wants to represent France in the 2024 Olympics at Paris. Undoubtedly, that will be the most important sporting event of the year, where stars like LeBron James, Simone Biles, Novak Djokovic and even Lionel Messi could come together.
“I want to play in the Olympic Games, but it’s not up to me to decide. I would love to play, of course. If the coach doesn’t want to call me up, I will accept his decision.”
Certainly, Kylian Mbappe’s participation in the Olympic Games is even a State affair in his country. The PSG player is the most important French athlete and his presence in the summer event would be a massive boost in terms of television ratings.
Furthermore, Mbappe’s decision could set the stage for a rematch of the epic final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. This is considering that Lionel Messi might also play for Argentina in pursuit of the gold medal.
Kylian Mbappe might face Lionel Messi in the 2024 Olympics
Kylian Mbappe wants a gold medal as he spoke loud and clear about his intentions for 2024. “My employer is the one who decides. It would be a pleasure to play in them (Olympics), but if my employer doesn’t want me to, I will support their decision. I don’t think it will take much time to think about it. If it’s a yes, it’s a yes; if it’s a no, it’s a no. I want to play, and I believe that people also want it.”
However, in the case of Lionel Messi, that possibility remains entirely uncertain. Argentina will participate in next year’s Pre-Olympic Tournament from January 20 to February 11 in pursuit of one of the two spots that South America has for the Summer Games.
If qualification is achieved, Javier Mascherano, the coach of the U-23 national team, has a clear plan for what he will do with veterans like Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. He revealed it during an interview with Telam news agency.
“If qualification happens, when the time comes, I will talk to Leo and Ángel, with whom I have a direct relationship. I know they will have a tight schedule with the Copa América and the World Cup qualifiers, and at a certain age, it’s not easy. For now, I haven’t spoken to them about that possibility. It’s premature without any sense.”
Will Lionel Messi play at the 2024 Olympics?
A few weeks ago, Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, granted an interview to Infobae in which he revealed the desire to have Leo at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He even sent a message to the Argentine player inviting him to do something unique in the history of soccer. Of course, Kylian Mbappe would also be a major story.
“For Lionel Messi, it would be even more fantastic because he could write the history of sports. He has already written many pages of football history, but with his participation and perhaps with a victory in the gold medal, he could become the only footballer on the planet to have won two Olympic gold medals and the World Cup.”