Without big names, young soccer stars get chance to shine

Kylian Mbappe wanted to take part in this year's Olympics in his home city, while there were hopes that Lionel Messi would feature for Argentina, but instead the men's soccer tournament at the Paris Games will be largely devoid of the game's star attractions.

As captain of France, and the most famous athlete in the country hosting this year's Games, Mbappe's presence in coach Thierry Henry's Olympic squad would have been an enormous boost for organizers, as well as for the team's chances of winning gold.

But Mbappe, 25, had to accept that his new club Real Madrid would not allow him to participate immediately after playing in the French side that reached the semifinals of Euro 2024 in Germany.

That is the problem for the men's soccer competition, which began on Wednesday and runs until Aug 9.

Clubs are not obliged to release players for a tournament held outside an official FIFA window for international soccer, following straight on from the European Championship and Copa America.

Messi, now 37 and part of the Argentina team that claimed Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, ruled himself out of Javier Mascherano's squad for Paris shortly before the Copa America in the United States, which Argentina won.

"I spoke with Mascherano, and we immediately agreed on the situation," Messi told ESPN.

"At my age, I don't want to play everything, and I need to make the right choices."

Henry, a French soccer great, also failed to secure the services of several others he had hoped to call up.

"The last time I had so many rejections was when I was at high school," he joked when announcing his team. The most recognizable names are Alexandre Lacazette, the 33-year-old Lyon striker, and new Bayern Munich signing Michael Olise.

The competition is restricted to players aged under 23, apart from a maximum of three overage players per squad.

As well as the superstar names, the tournament is also missing Brazil, which won gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and successfully defended the title in Tokyo three years ago, beating Spain in the final.

Contenders

With Brazil failing to qualify, Argentina must fancy its chances of ensuring a sixth straight Latin American side wins the gold medal.

"Obviously our objective is to try to compete and go all the way, and I think we will have a team that can do that," coach Mascherano, who won gold as a player in 2004 and 2008, said in an interview with South American confederation CONMEBOL.

In Julian Alvarez, the Manchester City striker who won the 2022 World Cup and the recent Copa America, it will have one of the highest-profile players taking part.

Argentina is in Group B with Iraq, Ukraine and a Morocco side that will have the skills of Paris Saint-Germain rightback Achraf Hakimi at its disposal.

France kicks off its campaign against the United States, before also playing Guinea and New Zealand in Group A.

Winner in 1992 and silver medalist in Tokyo, Spain is targeting Olympic gold to add to its triumph at Euro 2024.

Luis de la Fuente, coach of Spain's Euros-winning side, led the team to the final at the last Olympics. Santi Denia, his assistant three years ago, is now the man in charge.

Leading names from the European Championship such as Lamine Yamal are not involved, but another prodigious young Barcelona talent — 17-year-old centerback Pau Cubarsi — will feature.

"He is really proud to be getting the experience of the Olympics. You never know if you will get another chance, even being so young," Denia told Spanish sports daily Marca of Cubarsi.

Spain is in Group C with Uzbekistan, the Dominican Republic and Egypt, which will not be boosted by the inclusion of Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

Asian Under-23 champion Japan — which named a squad without any overage players — is in Group D alongside Paraguay, Mali and Israel.

Matches will not only be played in Paris, with Nantes, Bordeaux, Nice and Saint-Etienne all hosting games.

The semifinals will be played in Lyon and Marseille, while Parc des Princes in Paris will host the final.

AFP