Kylian Mbappé really wanted to play at the Paris Olympics. Lionel Messi reportedly did too. But neither is here at the Games, because they, like most men’s soccer stars, are victims of an age-old power struggle domineered by the sport’s global governing body, FIFA.
The struggle is the reason organizers impose two key restrictions on each men’s Olympic roster:
1. All but three players must be 23 years old or younger.
2. No matter the player’s age, his professional club isn’t required to grant him permission to play at the tournament.
The second rule spoiled Mbappé’s dream. Not even French President Emmanuel Macron could salvage it. “I’ve always said that the Games in Paris are special, and I wanted to be there,” Mbappé, a native Parisian, said in March. But Real Madrid refused to release him. And, well, “it’s our employer,” French teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni explained. “If Real Madrid puts a veto, there’s not much to say.”
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