The Argentine Olympic football team under 23 years old for the Paris 2024 Olympics does not include star Lionel Messi, according to Javier Mascherano, the team’s manager.
Mascherano announced the squad for the Olympics, set to begin later this month, in the presence of Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly.
The late Tuesday announcement included four players who were part of Argentina’s recent FIFA World Cup victory in Qatar 2022, including forward Julian Alvarez and defender Nicolas Otamendi.
Currently, Messi (37 years old), who has faced several injuries this year, is participating with the senior national team in the Copa America football tournament currently held in the United States. The team aims to defend their title won in the previous edition in 2021, which served as a springboard to their victory in the Qatar World Cup.
Messi previously won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, marking his only participation in the Olympic Games.
Olympic football teams under 23 years old are allowed to include up to three overage players in their squads.
Mascherano, a two-time Olympic gold medalist as a player in 2004 and 2008, will also add goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and the aforementioned Otamendi and Alvarez to his team after their participation in the Copa America.
Additionally, midfielder Claudio Iturrieta, recently signed by Manchester City from River Plate in Argentina, will join the squad.
The Argentine Olympic team will play two friendly matches in France before their opening match in the Olympics against Morocco on July 24th, as part of Group B, which also includes Iraq and Ukraine.
