Officially.. Messi is out of Argentina’s squad for the Paris Olympics

Javier Mascherano, coach of the Argentine Olympic team, announced the team’s list of participants in the Olympics, which will start later this month.

The list announced by Mascherano late Tuesday included four players who helped Argentina win the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, including striker Julian Alvarez and defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Messi, 37, who has suffered several injuries this year, is currently participating with the first team in the Copa America tournament currently being held in the United States, as the team looks to defend its title that it won in the last edition of the competition in 2021, which was a starting point for winning the World Cup in Qatar.

Messi won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, in his only participation in the Olympics.

The U-23 Olympic teams participate in the men’s football competition at the Olympics, but 3 over-age players are allowed on each team.

Mascherano, who won Olympic gold as a player in 2004 and 2008, will add goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, Otamendi and Alvarez to his squad following their participation in the Copa America.

Also in the squad will be midfielder Claudio Echeverri, who recently joined Manchester City from River Plate.

The Argentine Olympic team will play two friendly matches in France before its opening match in the Olympics once morest Morocco on July 24, as part of the second group competitions in the group stage, which also includes the Iraqi and Ukrainian teams.

Source: “Agencies”