"The best team in the universe", "It's coming home once again" - Lionel Messi fans in jubilant mood as Argentina announce Copa America squad
Argentina fans are excited about their Copa America 2024 prospects after Lionel Messi was named in Lionel Scaloni's 26-man squad for the tournament. La Abiceleste defends its crown in the United States and heads into the competition as world champions.
Scaloni has reduced the provisional squad to 26 players, an exciting group that will be on display in the USA. Messi, 36, will captain his nation in his sixth Copa America tournament.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is joined by fellow 2022 FIFA World Cup winners. Emiliano Martinez (GK), Cristian Romero, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Angel Di Maria, and Julian Alvarez are some stars who triumphed in Qatar.
The Argentina squad also includes fresh faces who didn't appear at the World Cup. Monza midfielder Valentin Carboni and Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, both 19, have made the cut.
Scaloni's Albiceleste are favorites to win Copa America 2024 and a formidable squad will take to the United States. They start their campaign in Group A against Canada (June 21), Chile (June 26) and Peru (June 30).
Argentina prepared for the tournament in the best possible way with a 4-1 friendly win against Guatemala. Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez both bagged braces.
The attacking duo will be looking to replicate similar performances at Copa America, and fans are confident after seeing Scaloni's squad.
One fan dubbed the reigning Copa America champions:
"The best team in the universe."
Another fan backed Scaloni's troops to triumph in the United States:
"It's coming home once again."
More fans gave their take on X (formerly Twitter) with one tipping Messi to secure back to back titles:
"Back to back in sih."
One fan found no flaws with the squad:
"10/10 squad."
One fan did have some question marks but overall backed an Argentina trophy win:
"Back to back Copa America... but why is (Gonzalo) Montiel and (German) Pezella in the squad instead of (Valentin) Barco and (Leonardo) Balerdi."
"It's hard" - Lionel Messi ruled out Olympics appearance due to representing Argentina at Copa America
Lionel Messi won't represent Argentina at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, France. The Inter Miami superstar spoke to La Abiceleste's Olympics team manager Javier Mascherano about the possibility but decided it was too much.
Messi explained that participating in the Olympics and Copa America would be too much to handle. He said (via ESPN):
"I talked to Mascherano and the truth is we both understood the situation. It's hard [to think about the Olympics right now] because we're in Copa America. It would be two, three straight months of not being with the club, and more than anything I'm not at an age to be in everything."
Messi appeared at the 2008 Olympic Games with Argentina and won Gold. He netted two goals in five games aged 21 in China but won't appear at this year's event.