Kylian Mbappé has not been named in France head coach Thierry Henry’s preliminary 25-man squad for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
The 25-year-old, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid following the expiry of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, said on March 22 that he was hopeful of taking part in the Games.
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Henry suggested in a news conference on Monday that Mbappé had not been allowed to play in his home Olympics by his club.
“Real Madrid were really straightforward about the Olympics,” Henry said.
“The last time I received so many rejections was at the university. There have not even been negotiations. You go, you ask, they say no and you leave.”
Henry was able to include Crystal Palace duo Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta in his list of players, while Bayern Munich‘s Mathys Tel and PSG’s 18-year-old midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery were named in a strong-looking squad.