Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann denied Olympic opportunity

French coach Thierry Henry's decision not to summon Griezmann for the 2024 Olympic football tournament, as reported by RMC Sport, comes as a relief for Atletico and their coach Diego Simeone.

The club stood firm in their stance of not releasing Griezmann for the event, as confirmed by the French Football Federation.

Addressing the media in a press conference, Griezmann revealed the complexities of negotiations with Atletico Madrid regarding his Olympic participation. "My desire has always been to compete in the Olympics; it would fulfil a dream of mine.

"However, ultimately, it's my club that holds the decision-making power," lamented the forward, acknowledging the club's reluctance to release him.

This disappointment is compounded by the timing, with Griezmann and several teammates already committed to Euro 2024, held from June 14 to July 14.

The overlapping schedules force players to miss crucial pre-season preparations, leaving them vulnerable to fatigue and injury risks.

Unlike FIFA-sanctioned events like the World Cup or Euros, the Olympics lack the same mandatory release policies for players, putting clubs in a position to prioritize their interests over national team duties.

With Thierry Henry set to announce his preliminary squad for the Olympics imminently, it's widely anticipated that none of the French Euro 2024 participants, including Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Warren Zaire-Emery, or Bradley Barcola, will feature in the Games, further highlighting the clash between club and country commitments in modern football.

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