Ex-Barcelona star wants Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria to be a part of Argentina team for 2024 Olympics
Former Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano wants his Argentina compatriots Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria to represent the nation at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Interestingly, both Messi and Di Maria were part of La Albiceleste's gold medal-winning team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Mascherano, who now manages the country's U20 side told TyC Sports (via GOAL) that it would be a privilege to have Messi and Angel Di Maria in the team next year:
“Clearly it would be a source of great pride for us to be able to have two world champions and these types of players. There are players who deserve to decide certain things. And clearly, Leo and Angel are part of that.”
Messi and Di Maria scored in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where Argentina beat defending champions France on penalites after a pulsating 3-3 draw after 120 minutes.
It's pertinent to note that according to FIFA and International Olympic Committee rules, men's football teams are allowed only three over-23 players. Interestingly, there's no such restriction for women's teams.
It's pertinent to note that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic - raised the limit to three over-24 players. That was an exception, which will not be applied at the Paris Games next year.
Coming back to Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria's potential participation in the Paris Games, it's unlikely to happen because of the Copa America preceding it.
It could be the final major tournament - where Argentina will defend their title - for both stars before they wade off into the sunset.
How have Barcelona legend Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria fared for Argentina?
Lionel Messi is a bonafide Barcelona and Argentina legend. He's Barcelona's all-time top scorer with 672 goals and assist-provider with 303.
In 17 glorious seasons at the Camp Nou, he won a plethora of big titles and individual honours, including 10 La Liga, four UEFA Champions League and six of his seven Ballon d'Or awards.
Messi is also Argentina's all-time top scorer with 104 goals in 176 games across competitions. The former Barcelona playmaker has won three senior titles with La Albiceleste - 2021 Copa America, 2022 Finalissima and 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Meanwhile, Angel Di Maria has also been a solid performer for Argentina. In 133 games across competitions, he has netted 28 times and provided 29 assists.
Two of those goals came in the Copa America 2021 final win (1-0) against Brazil and the FIFA World Cup final last year against France.