The third major tournament of the summer begins next week when the Olympics football competition kicks off on Wednesday, July 24.
Hot on the heels of Euro 2024 and Copa America, the action in France will see 16 teams vying for an Olympic gold medal. The tournament is an under-23s competition, but with nations allowed to select three overage players, we will still see some big names taking to the pitch.
However, Lionel Messi will not be representing Argentina, meaning the Inter Miami icon will not be adding another Olympic medal to the gold he won 2008. FourFourTwo takes a look at why he won’t be there.
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Former Liverpool and West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano is the Argentina U23s coach for the Olympics this summer and his former teammate Messi was not included in his 18-man squad.
The overage slots have instead been filled by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez.
This comes after Messi explained last month why he would not be playing in France this summer, in what would likely be the 37-year-old’s final opportunity to play in the Olympics.
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Javier Mascherano is in charge of Argentina’s U23s Olympic side (Image credit: Getty Images)
“I talked to Mascherano and the truth is we both understood the situation,” he told ESPN. “It’s hard [to think about the Olympics right now] because we’re in Copa América. It would be two, three straight months of not being with the club, and more than anything I’m not at an age to be in everything.
“I have to choose carefully, and it would be too much to play two straight tournaments. I’ve been very lucky to play in the Olympics, of winning it together with Masche. It was a wonderful experience on a football level. Olympics, U20, memories I’ll never forget.
“It’s spectacular to be fortunate enough to go through all that. I hope that the guys who get to go enjoy it in the same way that I did because it’s special. The Olympics are special, different from anything else.”
Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero celebrate with their gold medals at the 2008 Games (Image credit: Getty Images)
Since explaining his decision not to play in the Games, Messi won the Copa America with Argentina but suffered an ankle injury in the final, which would have likely ruled him out for the tournament regardless.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said earlier this week that Messi would miss at least the MLS side’s next two games while they wait to see the extent of his ligament injury to his right ankle.
Argentina have been drawn against Morocco, Iraq and Ukraine in Group B, with their first match taking place against the African side on Wednesday, July 24 in Saint-Etienne.
Mascherano’s side will be seeking to win gold for the third time in their history following their 2004 victory when Carlos Tezev starred under Marcelo Bielsa’s management before they successfully defended their title four years later with a squad featuring the likes of Pablo Zabaleta, Juan Roman Riquelme, Angel Di Maria, Mascherano, Messi and Sergio Aguero.
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