Argentina have confirmed their 18-man football squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and it does not include eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.

Javier Mascherano’s squad must be primarily made up of players under the age of 23, but up to three overaged players are allowed to be included.

Such rules led to much discussion over the possibility of legendary attacker Messi featuring at this summer’s Olympics, with the men’s football tournament running from July 24 to August 9.

Messi was part of the Argentina squad, along with Mascherano during his playing days, that won a Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, scoring two goals in five appearances.

The 37-year-old is currently with the senior Argentina setup at the 2024 Copa America and he has acknowledged that he is “not at an age” to be competing in every competition, stating that it would be “too much” to play at the Olympics.

Messi has struggled with niggling injuries since the turn of the year, limiting his minutes for both Inter Miami and Argentina, and he has made the ‘careful’ decision to omit himself from the Olympics squad this summer.