RB Leipzig: Castello Lukeba wants to play for France at the European Championships and Olympics

Castello Lukeba from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig wants to play in two tournaments for the French national team this summer. The 21-year-old is initially hoping to be nominated for the European Championship in Germany from June 14 to July 14, and then for the captain's armband for the Olympic selection for the Summer Games in Paris from July 24 to August 10. The Bundesliga kicks off the 2024/25 season on August 23.

"If it were up to me, I could imagine doing both. It's a special situation for me. An Olympic Games at home is just as special as a European Championship in Germany - especially as we're also playing in Leipzig. Let's wait and see," Lukeba told Sport Bild. France will face the Netherlands in the preliminary round of the European Championship on June 21 at the Red Bull Arena.

Lukeba has so far made one brief appearance for the national team in October 2023 against Scotland. A European Championship nomination would be surprising anyway, as many established players are eligible for the French central defense. However, the defender, who moved from Olympique Lyon to Leipzig last summer for 30 million euros, is captain of the U21 squad and is therefore practically set for the Olympics.

It remains to be seen how the club will deal with the situation. Lukeba must be released for the European Championships, but clearance for the Summer Games is not mandatory. Leipzig have had bad experiences with the double burden. Dani Olmo played both the European Championship with Spain in 2021 and then at the Olympics in Tokyo. Olmo reached the semi-finals at the European Championships and played in the final at the Summer Games. Subsequently, the playmaker was ruled out several times with muscle injuries.

Lukeba is also likely to face the question of when he should be given a break. There are only ten days between the European Championship final and the Olympics. And there are only two weeks between the Olympic final and the Bundesliga opener. Lukeba would miss the preparation with RB completely anyway.