Lionel believes that he will not be able to hold two tournaments at a high level in the summer
Forward Inter Miami Lionel Messi refused to participate in a football tournament Olympics 2024 as part of the national team Argentina.
Lionel believes that participation in two summer events (the Olympic Games and the America’s Cup) may not be fruitful. Messi informed the coach of the Olympic team, Javier Mascherano, about his decision.
“I talked to Mascherano and, to tell the truth, we both understood the situation. It’s hard now [думать об Олимпиаде]because we’re at the America’s Cup. It will be two, three months straight without a club, and, most importantly, I’m not at the age to participate in everything.”
“I need to choose carefully and it would be too much to play in two tournaments in a row. I was very lucky to play at the Olympics and win it. It was a wonderful experience at a football level. Olympics, U-20, memories I will never forget.”
“It’s amazing to be lucky enough to go through all this. I hope the guys who go enjoy it as much as I do because it’s something special. The Olympics are special, different from everything else.”
Let us remind you that at the Olympic Games men’s football teams will be represented by players who will be no more than 23 years old at the time of the competition in Paris. Each team has the right to include no more than three football players in the 18-person roster, without age restrictions.
Lionel Messi became Olympic champion in 2008. Together with him, the “gold” of the Beijing Olympics was won by Javier Mascherano, who now coaches the Argentina U-20 national team.
Argentina is Ukraine’s opponent in the group stage of the 2024 Olympic Games.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
