Argentina youth coach Javier Mascherano has opened the door to the possibility of star Lionel Messi and teammate Angel Di Maria, winners of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, participating in football at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics if the team qualifies for the tournament.
Mascherano led the first training sessions for the youth team in order to choose the list that will participate in the qualifiers for the Olympics, which will be held in Venezuela next January.
Mascherano said – in an interview with the network "TYC Sports" Argentine – that "the possibility of including 3 senior players to the team participating in the Olympics is wonderful, and there are players capable of making certain decisions, and it is clear that Leo (Messi) and Angel (Di Maria) of this type of players like the rest who were crowned World Cup."
🇦🇷 JO 2024 : Mascherano veut Messi et Di Maria à Paris l'été prochain ► https://t.co/pPYTZdvQ4M pic.twitter.com/eB30m2QRaQ
— RMC Sport (@RMCsport) September 17, 2023
"It's an honour to have Messi and Di Maria with us in the team, but before that we have to prepare a strong team that will be able to book a ticket to the Olympics through qualifiers."
Mascherano would not mind his compatriot Lionel Scaloni, the first team coaching Argentina's Olympic team, if he succeeds in qualifying for Paris 2024.
The former Barcelona player said: "If Scaloni wants to lead my team in the Olympics, I will not stand in the way of that, and he will have every right to do so."
It is noteworthy that Messi and Di Maria had previously won the gold medal with the Argentina Olympic team during their participation in the 2008 Olympic Games held in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and it is noteworthy that Mascherano was their teammate.
In that edition, Argentina beat Nigeria in the final with a goal scored by Di Maria in the 59th minute.
¿Te imaginás a Messi y Di María en los Juegos Olímpicos como en 2008, pero bajo el mando de Javier Mascherano? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/PWJfJAmhbO
— TNT Sports Argentina (@TNTSportsAR) September 15, 2023
The 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
According to the official website of the Paris Olympics, the football competition will begin on July 24, about 8 days after the end of the Copa America hosted by the United States.