Kylian Mbappe, the World Cup champion and star of Paris Saint-Germain, has expressed his desire to represent France at the Tokyo Olympics, which begin on July 23. The 22-year-old footballer is a member of France’s squad for the rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament next month.
France, unlike others, does not have a solid Olympic record in men’s football, having only won the competition once, in 1984, when it defeated Brazil in the final. The scorers were Francois Brisson and Daniel Xuereb. France had taken silver behind Great Britain at home earlier in 1900.
Kylian Mbappe has progressed through the ranks at Monaco to become one of the most sought-after footballers in the world. Kylian Mbappe has announced that becoming a part of the Tokyo Olympics is now his ‘dream’ after winning the World Cup in 2018.
Even though PSG only won one trophy in the 2020-21 season, Mbappe has been in superb form. Kylian Mbappe has scored 40 goals and added 10 assists in 45 appearances through all tournaments.
According to the Olympic rulebook, the men’s football teams at the Olympics are limited to U-23 athletes. The FIFA planned to hold the competition open for players born on or after January 1, 1997, despite the Tokyo Olympics being postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
France is in Group A at the Tokyo Olympics, alongside hosts Japan, Mexico, and South Africa. The 16 teams were split into four groups, with the top two teams progressing to the knockout stages. France is expected to advance to the knockout stages.
France’s men’s football team will compete in the Olympics for the first time in over two decades. France’s last time in the Olympics was in 1996 in Atlanta, where they came in fifth place.
After finishing second in their group at the 2019 UEFA U-21 Championship in Italy, France qualified for the Tokyo Olympics as the best runners-up.
