Veteran star set to captain Argentina football team at 2024 Paris Olympics - Reports
Argentina's veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi will be the side's captain at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The former Manchester City centre-back is fresh off winning the 2024 Copa America with La Albiceleste earlier this month.
The South American giants have been drawn alongside Iraq, Ukraine, and Morocco in Group B. They play Morocco in their opening game on July 24 and Otamendi is confirmed to start.
He was also a part of Argentina's World Cup-winning squad at the 2022 showpiece in Qatar. He is joined by three more senior players, Julian Alvarez, Geronimo Rulli, and Thiago Almada.
Argentina's biggest star, Lionel Messi, is a notable absentee as the 37-year-old skipped the tournament citing it would be "too much." The talismanic forward suffered multiple injury issues in their 2024 Copa America triumph in the USA. He was subbed off in the final due to an ankle injury and will soon have club commitments with Inter Miami too.
Messi has won the gold medal at the Olympics before, though. He was an integral part of their squad at the 2008 Beijing games as Argentina came first for the second tournament in a row.
Former Argentina international Javier Mascherano is the head coach of the Olympic team and will be looking to guide his side to a gold medal by emulating the 2004 and 2008 squads.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Argentina went out in the group stages after coming third behind Spain and Egypt. They accumulated only four points in three games, as much as Egypt, but finished behind them by goal difference.
Argentina's Copa America triumph to bolster Olympics squad?
Argentina's 2024 Copa America triumph could galvanize their Olympic squad too. La Albiceleste retained their South American crown after beating Colombia in the finals, and it could be an example for their Olympic side at the Paris games.
With two gold medals at the Olympics, Argentina are the joint second most successful team in the men's tournament, behind only Hungary and Great Britain (three each).
Striking gold at the 2024 games would bring them level with the sides and Javier Mascherano's side will be aiming for nothing less after the senior team's sensational victory in the USA showpiece.