2024 Paris Olympics: Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria want to play if Argentina qualifies

2024 could be the cherry on the cake for the Argentina NT. As Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria sadly edge to the fag end of their careers, reports affirm their unsurprising desire to play in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Olympics will hold a special place for both, as it led them to win their first senior accolade in Beijing 2008 with Argentina, Report informs via Essentially Sports.

The soccer games of the Olympics are expected to take place from July 24th to August 10th, 2024. Copa America 2024 will conclude on July 14, leaving little time to breathe, in case La Albiceleste reaches the finals. However, for the Olympics wish to come true, a few other things also need to go Lionel Messi’s way to make it.

Even though both players are vibrant and ever-ready to represent their country, it will take the Argentine U23 team to qualify for the main tournament from the pre-Olympics stage. According to DSports, the AFA is already making plans to arrange for logistics in case the qualification is fruitful. South American teams will head to the qualifiers today. With only two places up for grabs, Argentina gears up with its U23 squad under veteran Javier Mascherano.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Di Maria, despite winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2021 Copa America, and the 2022 Finalissima, want to revisit where it all started. Both had a successful time in 2008, where they scored two goals each. Di Maria displayed his heroics by scoring the gold medal-winning goal against Nigeria in the final, leading Argentina to a 1-0 win. Nevertheless, the Olympics will be the last dance of both of them sharing the pitch.