Lionel Messi, Argentina's World Cup-winning captain and legendary striker, has announced that he will not be participating in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Messi believes that competing in the event would be "too much" given his age and current commitments.
The Paris Olympics 2024 will take place from July 26 to August 11, shortly after the Copa America tournament, which runs from June 20 to July 14. Javier Mascherano, the U23 coach for Argentina, had hoped to include Messi in the Olympic squad, but Messi has decided against it.
Messi cited the need to balance his schedule and commitments to his club, Inter Miami, as key reasons for his decision. "I talked to Mascherano, and we both understood the situation," Messi told ESPN, as reported by Olympics.com. "Playing two consecutive tournaments would be too much. I've been fortunate to play in the Olympics and win it with Masche. It was a wonderful experience."
Messi and Mascherano were part of Argentina's squad that won the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, defeating Nigeria 1-0 in the final. While Messi regrets missing another chance to compete in the Olympics, he wishes the best for the players who will participate. "It's special to experience the Olympics. I hope the guys who go enjoy it as much as I did," he said.
Addressing his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe's opinion that the Euros are harder to win than the FIFA World Cup, Messi offered his perspective. "The Euros are important, but they leave out many world champions like Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. The World Cup includes the best teams and all the world champions, which is why everyone aspires to be a world champion," he stated.
Argentina will begin their Copa America title defense on June 20 against Canada.
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