No Olympics for Messi? The reason why he wouldn't play them with Argentina

Representing your country is one of the greatest honors for a footballer as they put their nationalistic pride on the line and try to lead their nation to the promised land. For football’s biggest stars, the pressure of winning intensifies because it’s not only national pride, but also about legacy. When looking at the greatest ever, most of them have been able to win something with their nation, and if you win the World Cup you are immortal. But the World Cup and each continent’s respective competition are not the only international tournaments.

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Every four years we have sports biggest celebration with the Summer Olympic Games. Nations from across the world compete in various sports in the hope to win the gold. One of the sports within the Summer Olympic Games is of course football. And while football in the Olympics is typically for the younger players it is still well valued amongst the sports. Who remembers Neymar’s winning penalty against Germany in the 2016 Olympics to win the gold medal in Rio. For him it was closure after what happened in the 2014 World Cup.

Neymar is not the only famous footballer to win the gold medal, as in 2008 the legendary Argentinian duo of Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria won gold for Argentina in their teenage days. Since then, the two Argentinian’s have only represented Argentina on the senior level in Copa America and World Cups. However, for Messi, the end is neigh and the opportunities for him to represent Argentina in tournaments are dwindling and the Olympics this summer offer him a chance at gold again.

Argentina U20’s coach Javier Mascherano on Messi joining the Olympic squad “Leo and Angel earned the right to choose; if they want to play in the Olympic Games they can do so,” said Mascherano.

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Messi’s choice may not matter

Even if Messi decides to play in the Olympics, it is out of his hands if they qualify for the Olympics in the first place. The U-20 Argentinian squad are set to play in the pre-Olympic qualifiers in Venezuela. While they hope to have Messi there in the summer to win the gold, they won’t have him to get there.