Sports
Kylian Mbappe Named in Preliminary France Squad for Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Jean Catuffe/Getty ImagesParis Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe has been selected in a preliminary 80-man squad for France’s squad at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer. Teams in the Olympic men’s football event are made up of under-23 players with three over-age players allowed. Mbappe, 21, can be selected without taking up one of those senior slots.Per Goal, French…
Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe has been selected in a preliminary 80-man squad for France's squad at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer.
Teams in the Olympic men's football event are made up of under-23 players with three over-age players allowed. Mbappe, 21, can be selected without taking up one of those senior slots.
Per Goal, French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet said: “He's old enough to go. Like all young people of his age who have talent, he is therefore on the list.”
The list will be whittled down to 50 players and later the final squad heading to Japan.
The men's tournament will run from July 23 to August 8. Le Graet suggested PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and other club chiefs are not best pleased at the prospect of their star players heading to the Games.
“Club presidents, in general, find that the dates [of the Olympic tournament] are not good,” he said. “I saw Nasser. I asked him how was Mbappe. He said to me, ‘very good.'”
The 2020-21 Ligue 1 season will begin on August 7, so not only would the Olympics disrupt Mbappe's pre-season preparations with PSG, he'd also miss the start of the campaign.
A player of Mbappe's calibre will be the first name on Les Bleus' teamsheet, though, particularly because his age means he can be selected among the youth players.
The forward has already developed into one of the most prolific goalscorers in European football:
OptaJean @OptaJean
51 – Best scorers in the Top 5 European leagues since last season:
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi – 54
🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé – 51
🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski – 47
Hungry.
#PSGDFCO https://t.co/LyXdNWok2v
This season, he has 27 goals and 17 assists in all competitions. Overall, he's found the net 87 times for PSG since he arrived in 2017, as well as providing 49 assists, in just 118 appearances.
With France's senior side he has contributed 13 goals and 10 assists in 34 games, helping Les Bleus win the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are still set to proceed as planned this year despite concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
On Monday, the organisers told ABC News they “have never discussed cancelling the Games.”
However, long-serving International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told Stephen Wade of the Associated Press in February that they may need to make a decision on whether to proceed with the Games in May.
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