Sports
Messi opts out as Argentina unveil Olympics list
Barcelona star, Lionel Messi has opted out to the 2016 Olympics as Argentina coach, Gerardo Martino included Inter‘s Mauro Icardi and Juventus‘ Paulo Dybala in his preliminary squad for the Games billed for Rio de Janeiro this August.
Messi is favourably disposed to featuring at this summer’s Copa America as the list for the Olympics is expected to be cut down to 35 names on July 1 and then down to 18 on July 14.
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Other Italy-based players included in the shortlist are Como defender, Tiago Casasola, Empoli midfielder, Leandro Paredes and Sampdoria‘s Joaquin Correa.
Those in contention to take one of the three spots reserved for over-23-year-olds are goalkeepers Gerónimo Rulli, Nahuel Guzman and Martín Benitez, and defenders Víctor Cuesta, Maidana, Mateo Musacchio, Ramiro Funes Mori and Javier Pinola.
Argentina will kick off their Olympic campaign against Portugal on August 4 at the Maracanà Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, looking for their third Olympic victory after picking up the gold medal in 2004 and 2008.
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