Thierry Henry, the coach of the French Olympic team, during the draw for the men’s football tournament at the Paris Games, March 20, 2024. JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP
Philippe Diallo’s good will was nothing more than wishful thinking. “We want to build the best possible French team” for the Paris Olympic Games, confided the president of the French Football Federation (FFF), on December 15, 2023 to the Monde. That day, the FFF took the problem head on: a meeting was organized with representatives of French professional clubs, because the latter can accept or refuse to release their players for the Olympic tournament, which takes place on dates – from July 24 to August 9 – not planned by the International Football Federation.
At the end of said meeting, the first feedback was positive. The beginning of a beautiful story that ends with a gold medal? Far from there. In a speech on Wednesday March 27, Florian Maurice, the sports director of Stade Rennais, blurred the story of the great national cause put together by the FFF: “We cannot undress to dress the French team. (…) It’s difficult for us, we have to understand that. »
Let’s try to understand the one who played the football tournament at the Atlanta Games in 1996: his club, like others in Ligue 1, could compete in the play-offs for a European Cup, when the Games end. Faced with the millions of euros that a qualification can represent, Olympic values carry very little weight. The fear is that other leaders will slip into this breach, since French clubs have the right of life or death over the ambitions of the group led by Thierry Henry.
“It’s important that there is a positive state of mind and unity around this project”, welcomed Mr. Diallo on December 15, 2023. But, around the French men’s football team, the sacred union did not last long. Fault lines are appearing, so that Pierre Sage, the coach of Olympique Lyonnais, indirectly responded to Mr. Maurice on Thursday: “We are rather in favor of them [les joueurs lyonnais] let’s go. » His counterparts stationed in Lille and Lens, Paulo Fonseca and Franck Haise, adopted a similar position.
The fear of reliving the Tokyo fiasco
The federation does not expect to rely on foreign clubs, which it has nevertheless surveyed. She received the answer she feared: Real Madrid will not release its French players. Farewell, the Olympic dream of Kylian Mbappé, who should join the club in the Spanish capital next season.
However, there is no shortage of declared candidates to occupy the three places reserved for those over 23 in Thierry Henry’s list: Antoine Griezmann, Dimitri Payet, Karim Benzema…, but the main thing is now elsewhere. Before thinking about “stars”, the FFF and its coach must guarantee the presence of a hard core. And to do this, convince French clubs to act in the national interest.
The risk in case of failure? Relive the Tokyo Games fiasco. Sylvain Ripoll, the ex-coach of the Bleuets, had suffered numerous refusals, cobbled together a team at the last minute, before seeing it eliminated in the first round. Thierry Henry has this scenario in mind: “When I arrived, I spoke to the coach from before and I knew how difficult it was going to be. I suspected it »he admits.
A remake of 2021 would look bad, especially since the Bleuets will be among the first representatives of the French Olympic delegation to take action on July 24. Two days before the opening ceremony and in front of the public at the Stade-Vélodrome, the eighteen players finally selected will face the United States. During a match that looked like a dress rehearsal, Monday March 25, the French fared poorly against the Americans (2-2). The gold medal is still far away.
Our selection of articles on the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Find all our content on the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games:
France facing a growing and multifaceted terrorist threat
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Certain agents may be armed “under certain conditions”, according to the police prefect
Ile-de-France businesses are organizing for the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Should we fear the worst in transport in Ile-de-France?
Transport during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: from the euphoria of promises to the shock of reality
The Paris 2024 Olympic Village takes up residence in Seine-Saint-Denis
A logistical time trial at the Olympic Village for the Organizing Committee
Bernard Thibault: “For the 2024 Games, our objective is to demonstrate that major events are not incompatible with high social rights
Athlete preparation
Does France really have the means to shine in the medal rankings?
Volleyball player Lucille Gicquel, Olympic pioneer in a family of champions
Anastasiia Kirpichnikova, swimmer in geopolitical turmoil after passing under the French flag
Athlete “teams”, a win-win agreement between athletes and companies
The last preparation of Nantenin Keïta, between doubts and good humor
Handball player Vincent Gérard leaves from below for one last Olympic adventure
Christo and Toma Junior Popov, two talented brothers competing to represent France in badminton
Ryadh Sallem, “saved twice” by sport
Dorian Coninx, world triathlon champion, eats up the kilometers to avoid staying at the dock
Simone Biles on her way to Paris 2024: “I’m getting old and I have more to lose”
The question of the presence of Russian and Belarusian athletes
Russia and the IOC reignite a cold war in world sport
“All the ingredients come together to replay an episode in the long history of Olympic boycotts”
Thomas Bach, President of the IOC: “The aggressiveness of the Russian government is growing day by day, against the Committee, against the Games, against me”
Football and the Paralympic Games, two ticketing challenges
In search of savings, the organizers of the Games are seeking help from partner communities
Ongoing legal investigations
Tony Estanguet, the boss of the Games, in his turn in the sights of justice
The “four musketeers” of the organizing committee targeted by the PNF
The Olympic Torch Relay
Some municipalities are irritated by the requirements and costs linked to hosting the torch relay
The government steps on the accelerator to close the accessibility gap
Seine-Saint-Denis and the Games
La Courneuve between enthusiasm and concern regarding the transformation of Georges-Valbon Park
The Red Star Rugby of Saint-Ouen deprived of a stadium because of the Games
An island, an eco-friendly mayor and “the chance” to benefit from the Games
Paris at Games time
As the Games approach, anti-poverty associations fear “social cleansing”
Enthusiastic inauguration for the Adidas Arena, the new venue at Porte de la Chapelle
The Games are not just Paris and Seine-Saint-Denis
In Martinique and Guadeloupe, Olympic fever rises remotely
West Indian athletes forced to go into exile to shine
The Meuse volunteers, between “pride” and “struggle”
In Polynesia, Teahupoo is delighted to host the 2024 Olympic Games but fears overtourism
Environmental issues
Halving the carbon footprint of meals served at the Games: the other challenge of Paris 2024
How the organizers of the Olympic Games plan to deal with a heatwave this summer
Coca-Cola, sponsor of the Paris 2024 Olympics and still “world champion” of plastic pollution
The societal issues that the Games highlight
Far from the splendor of the Olympics, the reality of PE lessons in a Montreuil college
At the time of sport, a major national cause, the worrying situation of swimming pools in France
School sport is still looking for the right formula
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2024-03-29 10:00:01
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