Lionel Messi has decided not to play for the Argentina team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine footballer, has made it clear that he will not be participating in the upcoming Olympic Games. The 36-year-old, who is set to represent his country at the 2024 Copa America, believes that playing in two international tournaments in the same summer would be too demanding.

Argentina, the current World Cup holders and reigning Copa America champions, will be defending their title in the United States. The competition is scheduled to take place from June 20 to July 14. If Argentina reaches the final, the match will be held in Miami, just 10 days before the start of the men’s football tournament in Paris.

Although the Olympic football tournament is primarily for under-23 players, each team is allowed to include a maximum of three overage players in their squad. Argentina’s under-23 coach, Javier Mascherano, had previously discussed the possibility of including Messi in the team. However, Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, believes that participating in both tournaments would result in him missing too many matches for his MLS club.

Since joining Miami in 2023 after leaving Paris Saint Germain, Messi has had to adapt to the MLS season, which takes place during the summer months. He expressed concerns about missing several matches for his club if he were to play in the Olympics.

In an interview with ESPN Argentina, Messi stated, “I talked to Mascherano and the truth is we both understood the situation. It’s hard 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, who played a crucial role in Argentina’s success at the 2022 World Cup and the previous Copa America, also won Olympic football gold in Beijing in 2008. However, he acknowledges that his days of committing to every available competition are behind him.

“I have to choose carefully, and it would be too much to play two straight tournaments,” Messi explained. “I’ve been very lucky to play in the Olympics, of winning it together with Masche. It was a wonderful experience on a football level. Olympics, U20, memories I’ll never forget.”

While Messi will not be participating in the Olympics, he hopes that the players who do get the opportunity will enjoy the experience as much as he did. He emphasized the uniqueness and special nature of the Olympics, stating, “The Olympics are special, different from anything else.”