Thierry Henry

Paris, Jul 4 (PL) Coach Thierry Henry announced today the final list of 18 players and four reserves who will represent France in soccer at the Paris-2024 Olympic Games, a call-up marked by absences.

As was already known, Les Bleus U23 team plus three reinforcements will not be able to compete at home with star players Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) and Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), nor with promising players such as Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaïre-Emery, both from PSG.

Olympic soccer is not on FIFA's calendar, which allows clubs to prevent their players from taking part in the olympic event, a prerogative they usually assume without having to explain themselves.

Henry struggled for weeks to put together a squad as competitive as possible for Paris-2024, until he accepted a few days ago the harsh reality of the tournament that kicks off on July 24, two days before the opening of the games.

The former star received the bad news that Khéphren Thuram was dropped from the squad due to his move to Juventus, which is not willing to allow him to take part in the Olympic Games.

As it is, France will be looking to excel as hosts with a team without big names, led by 33-year-old veteran striker and former Arsenal player Alexandre Lacazette (Olympique Lyon).

The other two over-23 reinforcements called up by Henry were Jean-Philippe Matela (Crystal Palace) and defender Loïc Badé (Sevilla).

Les Bleus are in Group A, along with the United States, New Zealand and Guinea.