Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi left to make Argentina 2024 Olympic Games call alongside fellow World Cup winner Angel Di Maria

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has a busy year ahead of him, with the new MLS season at Inter Miami due to get underway in February. Messi will have international action in the middle of that campaign, with Argentina preparing to defend their Copa America crown when that event heads to the United States.

There is a chance that Messi will also agree to be an overage selection in the U23 Olympic tournament, having previously claimed a gold medal back in 2008, but neither he nor fellow 2022 World Cup winner Di Maria will be rushed into making a big call.

Argentina U20 coach Javier Mascherano, who is readying the Albiceleste for the Games in Paris, has told Dsports Radio of potentially having two legendary figures to call upon: “Leo and Angel earned the right to choose; if they want to play in the Olympic Games they can do so. I understand that Angel said that their closing is with the Copa America, although it would also be a nice closing in the Games.”

Mascherano is also looking to get a World Cup winner on board at the Olympics off the field, with the former Liverpool and Barcelona star prepared to pass managerial reins on to senior head coach Lionel Scaloni. He added ahead of the CONMEBOL qualification tournament: “The objective is to qualify for the Olympic Games. If everything goes well in the pre-Olympic event, I hope that Scaloni can lead the national team in the Paris Olympic Games.”

Argentina have been placed in Group B of the South American Pre-Olympic Tournament and are set to take on Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay and Peru before hopefully making their way into the final stage and claiming one of two qualification spots.