The list of the Argentina under-23 Olympic football team participating in the men's football competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympics does not include star Lionel Messi. Javier Mascherano, the head coach of the Argentina Olympic team, announced the squad for the upcoming Olympics, which starts later this month.
The list revealed by Mascherano late Tuesday included four players who were part of the Tango's victory at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, including forward Julian Alvarez and defender Nicolas Otamendi. Messi, 37, who has suffered from several injuries this year, is currently with the senior national team competing in the Copa America held in the United States, where the team aims to defend the title they won in the last edition of the tournament in 2021, which marked the beginning of their World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Messi won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, marking his only participation in the Olympic Games. Under-23 Olympic teams compete in men's football at the Olympics, but each team is allowed to include three over-age players. Mascherano, who won Olympic gold as a player in 2004 and 2008, will add goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, Otamendi, and Alvarez to his team after their involvement in the Copa America concludes.
Midfielder Claudio Echeverri, who recently joined Manchester City from River Plate, will also be part of the team. The Argentina under-23 team will play two friendly matches in France before their opening match in the Olympics against Morocco on July 24, as part of Group B in the group stage, which also includes Iraq and Ukraine.
