Kylian Mbappe hits out on social media after reports claim he refused to carry Olympic flame in Paris

Kylian Mbappe has rubbished reports he refused to carry the Olympic flame in Paris because he wanted to be the final torchbearer.

• Mbappe allegedly refused to carry Olympic torch
• Real Madrid star rubbishes story
• France star was "on the other side of the globe"

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  French publication Le Canard Enchaine claimed that Mbappe refused to be the masked torchbearer for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony last year when asked by three-time Olympic canoeist champion Tony Estanguet. The report adds that the 26-year-old declined the offer as he wanted to be the last person to hold the Olympic torch, a role that went to ex-200m sprinter Marie-José Pérec and three-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner. In response, the Real Madrid star sardonically dismissed the story on social media.

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• WHAT MBAPPE SAID

  In response to the tweet, he wrote on X: "LOL. You forgot to mention that I also wanted to be the leader of the French basketball team, I think… I was just chilling on vacation on the other side of the globe. No reason to be the last torchbearer since I have no history with the Olympics."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbappe has been on the receiving end of a lot of bad press over the past year or so, particularly during the end of his Paris Saint-Germain spell, his start at Madrid, and with the French national team. But the best way to kill a story like this is to tackle it head on and Mbappe has done just that, here.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  After helping Madrid reach the semi-finals of the newly rebooted Club World Cup this summer, Mbappe is currently enjoying his holidays before returning to the Spanish giants for their abridged pre-season campaign.