Why football clubs deny players participation in the Olympic Games – and why this is allowed

As the days tick by until the start of the 2024 European Championship and the Copa América this summer, some provisional squads are already being announced for next month's Olympic men's football tournament in Paris – but not without considerable difficulty.

“The last time I got so many rejections was at university,” said Thierry Henry, coach of the French Olympic football team, when asked about the selection process for his provisional 25-man squad. The biggest omission was Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid's newest superstar and the world's most famous French athlete, who had previously expressed his ambition to represent his country in his hometown at the Olympics.

However, he is far from the only big name who will be missing. Chelsea have blocked Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk from appearing for Argentina and Ukraine respectively, and other clubs will most likely follow suit before the participating nations announce their final squads on July 3.

These particular tensions arise to varying degrees in the run-up to every Olympic men's football tournament, and it is worth examining why…

Why do some clubs withdraw their players from the Olympic Games?

The short answer is because they can. Because the Olympics take place outside of an official window for international football, FIFA rules do not require clubs to release players for the tournament. The same does not apply to the Euros or the Copa America.

The longer answer is that clubs have their own interests in mind, which they say are best served by not subjecting some of their most valuable players to the extra workload of a non-compulsory competition. There are particularly strong concerns about Mbappe, Fernandez, Mudryk and other players who will represent their countries at Euro 2024 or the Copa America. Participation in the Olympics would require them to play all summer without any significant rest.

France head coach Thierry Henry said he had received many rejections (AFP via Getty Images)

Barcelona star Pedri's summer of 2021 is often cited as a cautionary tale. Coming off a brilliant breakthrough season at Camp Nou, he represented Spain at the postponed Euro 2020 and Olympic Games men's football championships, making 68 appearances for club and country in his first season at the top level.

His 2021/22 season was plagued by thigh injuries. Although there are no directly demonstrable causes and effects, Pedri's physical problems have been widely interpreted in football as a result of too many games with too few opportunities for recovery.

The timing of the Olympic football tournament does not help all players to participate. It usually takes place in late July and early August (this summer edition begins on July 24 and ends on August 9), clashing directly with clubs' pre-season schedules, during which players must complete the majority of their physical conditioning training. Any rest after the tournament also puts players out of action for the start of their club campaigns.

Nevertheless, most clubs decide on a case-by-case basis whether to allow their players to participate in the Olympic Games and do not reject nominations outright.

Will there be problems between players and their clubs?

That depends on the player – especially how much he is pursuing the prospect of competing for an Olympic medal.

In the vast majority of cases, the player and club can come to an agreement before appeals are accepted or rejected, and it is rare for such situations to result in public disputes. However, in some cases, sensitive handling may be necessary, particularly when the player in question is a highly valuable superstar talent.

Lionel Messi was barred from playing for Argentina at the 2008 Olympics until Pep Guardiola, who had since been promoted to first-team coach at Barcelona, ​​intervened and let him go and win gold in Beijing. Barca then struck a deal with the Brazilian Football Confederation in 2016 to keep Neymar out of the Copa America Centenario that summer so he could lead Brazil's successful bid for Olympic glory at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Messi after winning the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games (Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images)

Mbappe has spoken on several occasions about the lure of leading France to Olympic gold in Paris this summer, but his comments to French television channel France 2 in January suggest he will not make this a point of contention with his new club Real Madrid. “Everyone knows I want to play in the Games, but if my club doesn't want me to, I will understand because I am mature enough to understand both points of view,” he said.

Not everyone agrees. Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who already represents Argentina at the Copa America, stressed this week that he is ready to “fight” with his club to be included in Javier Mascherano's squad for the Olympic football tournament.

Why are the Olympic Games not considered the pinnacle of football?

To answer this question, a brief historical excursion is necessary. With the exception of 1896 and 1932, football has been represented as a men's competition at every Summer Olympic Games, but professional players were not allowed to take part until the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

By this time, FIFA had already established the World Cup as the world's biggest football spectacle and did not want to allow the Olympic football tournament to become a serious competitor. Initially, UEFA and COMNEBOL countries were only allowed to nominate professional footballers who had never participated in a World Cup.

In the 1990s, there was a shift towards the selection rules that remain in place today: teams for the men's tournament must consist of players under the age of 23, with up to three players allowed to be older. As a result, the men's tournament continues to occupy a strange place in the football world, not entirely without prestige or individual star power, but essentially a glorified youth competition.

There is no age limit for the Women's Olympic Football Tournament. It is widely regarded as the second most important tournament after the Women's World Cup.

Do big stars regularly play at the Olympics?

There has been no shortage of stars since the age restriction was introduced in 1992. Messi and Neymar top a list of globally recognised players who have won Olympic gold, including Angel Di Maria, Carlos Tevez, Samuel Eto'o, Jay-Jay Okocha and Guardiola.

Other high-profile male players who have had to settle for silver or bronze at previous Games include Thiago Silva, Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, Xavi, Carles Puyol, Ivan Zamorano, Javier Zanetti, Ronaldo Nazario, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos.

As a full international senior competition, the Olympic women's football tournament has provided a global stage for most of the sport's biggest names since its inception in 1996. The list of those who have won a gold medal includes Christine Sinclair, Alexandra Popp, Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly, Hege Riise and Mia Hamm.

How does this compare to other team sports?

In the Olympic sense, basketball is closest to football, although there is no participation policy and no age restriction for selection.

Since the USA's “Dream Team” marked the NBA players' glorious debut at the Olympic Games in 1992, the men's basketball tournament has featured many players from the world's strongest league and is generally more prestigious than the FIBA ​​World Cup.

The 12-man roster of the US men's basketball team for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris can rightly be considered the strongest lineup since the Dream Team, as it includes experienced superstars LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, former NBA MVP Joel Embiid and NBA finalist Jayson Tatum, among others.

The “Dream Team” that won Olympic gold in basketball in 1992 (AP Photo/John Gaps)

Also competing for the gold medal are the Serbian team led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, the Canadian team led by All-NBA First Team guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the French team with NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.

In short, many of the best of the best will be in Paris and will have little to worry about how their participation will impact the 2024-25 NBA season, which begins in October.

Which big players are still taking part in the competition in France?

Most of the participating nations have not yet announced their provisional squads, but it is already becoming clear that this will be the least star-studded men's Olympic football tournament in living memory.

In Mbappe's absence, the most prominent names in the French squad are Paris Saint-Germain duo Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola – but both are also in Didier Deschamps' 26-man squad for Euro 2024. Crystal Palace star Michael Olise's availability for Olympic action could be influenced by whether he is the subject of a lucrative transfer this summer.

Manchester City have given Julian Alvarez the green light to play in Paris despite being expected to feature frequently for Argentina at the Copa America, although it would be a surprise if Messi, aged 37, were to make the same dual signing.

Any attempt by Egypt to select Mohamed Salah will require the approval of Liverpool and their new coach Arne Slot. Spain's squad could be significantly decimated if Barcelona decides to avoid a repeat of the 2021 Pedri situation with Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi and, yes, Pedri again.

There may still be a pinch of stardust in the mix, with several over-23s yet to be nominated, but this men's Olympic football tournament is shaping up to be a competition that needs to unearth up-and-coming talent.

(Top photo: Getty Images)