The summer of 2024 has been a sporting festival. From the drama of the Copa America to the enthralling pace of the Euros, fans everywhere have had a gluttonous football fix. The final installment of the summer comes from the Olympic Games, taking place in Paris.
However, while it’s the perfect opportunity to see a number of countries battle it out, a host of stars will be missing from lineups all across the football tournament. From Kylian Mbappe to Emiliano Martinez, here are the reasons why clubs, and in some cases the players themselves, choose not to represent their nations.
Differences between FIFA and the Olympics
Crucial change allows clubs to block players
While the Olympic Games are deemed the biggest sporting event in the world, football-wise, it isn’t included as part of FIFA’s international calendar. As such, clubs that players are a part of have the final say regarding whether they can feature or not. Many teams don’t allow their players to play in the tournament, as they don’t want their assets to risk being injured in a competition that, at the end of the day, doesn’t help them.
Furthermore, concerns are a little more acute around players that will have represented their countries already, at Euro 2024 or the Copa America this summer. Participation at the Olympics would commit them to playing throughout the summer with no significant rest time.
One player who suffered as a result of playing a lot of football is Pedri. His summer of 2021 is often cited as a cautionary tale. At the end of a brilliant breakthrough season at Camp Nou, he represented Spain at the delayed Euro 2020 and Olympic men’s football tournament, racking up 68 games for club and country across his first season as a top-flight player.
Hamstring injuries plagued his 2021-22 season. While there is no directly provable link between the two, Pedri’s physical problems were widely understood as being in part a consequence of playing too many matches with too little opportunity for recovery.
The U23 regulations
Limitations on age can halt stars
Other aspects that limits who can and can’t feature, are the age guidelines. Since 1992, all nations have agreed upon the same restrictions, requiring all male national team players to be under 23 years old, except for three players who are “overage”. This rule, however, does not apply to women’s Olympic football, as there is no U23 rule, and Olympic gold is as rightly regarded as a FIFA World Cup.
While it may take the competitive nature away on the face of it, this rule actually instills a great vibe around the tournament – as young players are provided a widely-watched stage on which to perform ahead of the new season. This side of the competition is also said to be in place, to preserve the prestige of the World Cup.
Big Names Heading to Paris
Some huge stars will still feature at the games in 2024
While there are a number of examples of players who have chosen not to feature, or have simply not been allowed, there is enough emerging talent and familiar faces present, to make this tournament an entertaining watch.
The most notable absences arrive with Argentina. There was speculation that Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria could feature earlier in the year, yet that was quashed when both were omitted from the selection as senior pros. Enzo Fernandez is another that won’t feature, while his team-mate Mikhailo Mudryk has also been denied the opportunity to feature by Chelsea. Emiliano Martinez is another that was desperate to feature for his nation at the Olympics, but Aston Villa blocked any move.
Real Madrid haven’t let Kylian Mbappe go, despite his openness to represent his country in Paris. Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery were set to feature, yet weren’t selected after they were in the Euro 2024 squad for Les Bleus. There may be fewer of them, yet there are still some big players in the tournament. Michael Olise, Alexandre Lacazette, and Jean-Philippe Mateta are set to play for France, while Julian Alvarez was given the green light by Manchester City to play for Argentina. Nicolas Otamendi will also feature for Albiceleste.
Achraf Hakimi will lead Morocco, while Spain have chosen to involve Alex Baena and prodigy Pau Cubarsi, of Villareal and Barcelona, respectively.