Is Lionel Messi playing at the Olympics? Latest on Argentina captain's availability for 2024 Paris Games

Feargal Brennan

Is Lionel Messi playing at the Olympics? Latest on Argentina captain's availability for 2024 Paris Games image

Argentina were drawn in Group B at the 2024 Olympic Games as they aim to reignite their glory days in the men's tournament from the early 2000s.

Impressive back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2008 underlined Argentina's determination to commit resources and players to the Olympics to challenge their old rivals Brazil.

Ahead of the 2024 tournament, they are among the favourites to go on and clinch a gold medal despite their low-key showings in recent appearances.

The major focus will be on the squad selected by former Liverpool and Barcelona star Javier Mascherano. Lionel Messi was eligible for a call-up as an overage player, but will he be involved?

MORE: Full standings and schedule for Olympic men's soccer tournament

Is Lionel Messi playing at the Olympics?

Messi was not included in Mascherano's plans for the tournament with Inter Miami requesting a return for their captain after Copa America duty this month.

Clubs are not required to release players for the Olympics, as per FIFA rules, and Messi's MLS club bosses are keen to manage his game load following injury problems in 2024. He was left nursing an ankle sprain after the final of the Copa America.

Messi is keen to play on for both club and country in the coming years and he is targeting a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Lionel Messi Argentina 2024
(Getty Images)

Messi was part of the team that secured gold in Beijing in 2008. Mascherano was also in that victorious squad, as he was four years earlier in Athens.

How are Olympic squads selected?

Rules on how Olympic football squads are selected feature a crucial rule on 'overage players' with each qualified nation allowed to name three players aged over 23 in their squad.

That restriction does not apply to women's squads for Olympic competition.

Ahead of the 2024 Games, Mascherano utilised the rule to call up veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez, plus Ajax goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

Argentina's Olympic squad

Below is the full squad for Argentina's 2024 Olympic campaign.

Ages correct as of the final squad announcement on July 3.

NamePositionAgeClub
Leandro BreyGK21Boca Juniors
Geronimo RulliGK32Ajax
Marco Di CesareDEF22Argentinos Juniors
Julio SolerDEF19Atletico Lanus
Joaquin GarciaDEF22Velez Sarsfield
Gonzalo LujanDEF23San Lorenzo
Nicolas OtamendiDEF36Benfica
Bruno AmioneDEF22Santos Laguna
Ezequiel FernandezMID21Boca Juniors
Santiago HezzeMID22Olympiacos
Cristian MedinaMID22Boca Juniors
Kevin ZenonMID22Boca Juniors
Giuliano SimeoneFWD21Atletico Madrid
Luciano GondouFWD23Argentinos Juniors
Thiago AlmadaFWD23Botafogo
Claudio EcheverriFWD18Manchester City
Julian AlvarezFWD24Manchester City
Lucas BeltranFWD23Fiorentina

*Players in BOLD are Argentina's overage picks

Argentina's Olympic record

Argentina's wins in 2004 and 2008 remain their only men's football gold medals in the Olympics.

YearHostArgentina Result
1900Paris, FranceDNE
1904St. Louis, United StatesDNE
1908London, United KingdomDNE
1912Stockholm, SwedenDNE
1920Antwerp, BelgiumDNE
1924Paris, FranceDNE
1928Amsterdam, NetherlandsSilver Medal
1936Berlin, GermanyDNE
1948London, United KingdomDNE
1952Helsinki, FinlandDNE
1956Melbourne, AustraliaDNE
1960Rome, ItalyGroup Stage
1964Tokyo, JapanGroup Stage
1968Mexico City, MexicoDNE
1972Munich, West GermanyDNQ
1976Montreal, CanadaDNQ
1980Moscow, Soviet UnionDNQ
1984Los Angeles, United StatesDNQ
1988Seoul, South KoreaDNQ
1992Barcelona, SpainDNQ
1996Atlanta, United StatesSilver Medal
2000Sydney, AustraliaDNQ
2004Athens, GreeceGold Medal
2008Beijing, ChinaGold Medal
2012London, United KingdomDNQ
2016Rio de Janeiro, BrazilGroup Stage
2020Tokyo, JapanGroup Stage

*DNE indicates Did Not Enter and DNQ indicates Did Not Qualify

Olympic football champions

Below is the complete list of Olympic medallists in the men's soccer tournament.

YearHostGold Silver Bronze 
1900Paris, FranceGreat BritainFranceBelgium
1904St. Louis, United StatesCanadaUnited StatesNone awarded
1908London, United KingdomGreat BritainDenmarkNetherlands
1912Stockholm, SwedenGreat BritainDenmarkNetherlands
1920Antwerp, BelgiumBelgiumSpainNetherlands
1924Paris, FranceUruguaySwitzerlandSweden
1928Amsterdam, NetherlandsUruguayArgentinaItaly
1936Berlin, GermanyItalyAustriaNorway
1948London, United KingdomSwedenYugoslaviaDenmark
1952Helsinki, FinlandHungaryYugoslaviaSweden
1956Melbourne, AustraliaSoviet UnionYugoslaviaBulgaria
1960Rome, ItalySoviet UnionYugoslaviaDenmark
1964Tokyo, JapanHungaryCzechoslovakiaEast Germany
1968Mexico City, MexicoHungaryBulgariaJapan
1972Munich, West GermanyPolandHungarySoviet Union
1976Montreal, CanadaEast GermanyPolandSoviet Union
1980Moscow, Soviet UnionCzechoslovakiaEast GermanySoviet Union
1984Los Angeles, United StatesFranceBrazilYugoslavia
1988Seoul, South KoreaSoviet UnionBrazilWest Germany
1992Barcelona, SpainSpainPolandGhana
1996Atlanta, United StatesNigeriaArgentinaBrazil
2000Sydney, AustraliaCameroonSpainChile
2004Athens, GreeceArgentinaParaguayItaly
2008Beijing, ChinaArgentinaNigeriaBrazil
2012London, United KingdomMexicoBrazilSouth Korea
2016Rio de Janeiro, BrazilBrazilGermanyNigeria
2020Tokyo, JapanBrazilSpainMexico

Feargal Brennan

Feargal Brennan Photo

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.