Soccer fans are eagerly anticipating the matches leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with Argentina set to play against Morocco just a day before the opening ceremony. However, their iconic star, Lionel Messi, will not be on the field.
The reason behind Messi’s absence is his decision to prioritize the Copa America over the Paris 2024 Olympics. The former Barcelona player explained his choice in an interview with ESPN, stating, “It’s a difficult time because there’s the Copa America, it’s two or three months in a row away from the club (Inter Miami) and at this age, I’m not ready to play everything.” He added, “I have to choose the moments, and it would be too much to play two tournaments in a row.”
Reflecting on his past experiences, Messi said, “I was lucky enough to be in an Olympic Games and win it together with Masche (Javier Mascherano), it was one of the most beautiful experiences. I will never forget the Olympics and the Under-20 World Cup.”
Argentina’s roster for Paris 2024 Olympics
Here is the complete list of the players Javier Mascherano will have in France:
Goalkeepers
- Leandro Brey – Boca Juniors
- Geronimo Rulli – Ajax
Defenders
- Marco Di Cesare – Racing
- Julio Soler – Lanus
- Joaquin Garcia – Velez
- Gonzalo Lujan – San Lorenzo
- Nicolas Otamendi – Benfica
- Bruno Amione – Santos Laguna
Midfielders
- Ezequiel Fernandez – Boca Juniors
- Santiago Hezze – Olympiacos
- Cristian Medina – Boca Juniors
- Kevin Zenon – Boca Juniors
Forwards
- Giuliano Simeone – Atletico Madrid
- Luciano Gondou – Argentinos Juniors
- Thiago Almada – Atlanta United
- Claudio Echeverri – River Plate
- Julian Alvarez – Manchester City
- Lucas Beltran – Fiorentina
Argentina’s schedule for Paris 2024 Olympics
As for the schedule, Argentina will debut on July 24 against Morocco at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium. They will then face Iraq on July 27 in Lyon, and will close the group stage against Ukraine on July 30 at the same stadium. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, with the final to be played on August 9 at the Parc des Princes.
