Lionel Messi-less Argentina eye Olympic gold, Spain favorites for women’s gold

Beijing: Argentina, despite being without talisman Lionel Messi, are considered to stand a good chance of winning a record-equaling third men’s football gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Argentina head coach Javier Mascherano, who won gold as a player in 2004 and 2008, is aiming for glory, as he called up four World Cup winners to his squad, including striker Julian Alvarez and defender Nicolas Otamendi, reported Xinhua.

Olympic men’s football is an under-23 tournament, but each team is allowed up to three overage players.

Messi, 37, who helped the South American side win gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will not play in the Paris edition, citing a heavy workload.

Clubs are not required to release their players to compete at the Olympic Games, as unlike other major international football tournaments, the Games take place outside the official FIFA international window.

In 2008, Barcelona won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to prevent Messi from playing in Beijing. It was reported that after Pep Guardiola, then-head coach of Barcelona, intervened, the La Liga club eventually gave the green light, and Messi went on to win gold with Argentina in his only Olympic campaign.

The Olympic men’s football tournament serves more as a platform for emerging talents rather than established stars, with traditional football powerhouses not necessarily being among the favorites.

Nigeria and Cameroon triumphed respectively in 1996 and 2000. In 2012, Mexico won gold in London with a team mostly comprising domestic players.

The past 20 years has seen the dominance of South American teams at this event, with Brazil and Argentina winning two golds each since 2004.

Unlike the men’s event, the women’s competition brings together the finest players from the 12 participating teams.

Top-ranked Spain are vying to be the first team to win an Olympic gold medal after capturing the World Cup title.

Confusion ensued after La Roja were crowned at last year’s World Cup, throwing the team into tumult.

Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales stepped down in disgrace after being accused of forcibly kissing Jenni Hermoso during the World Cup victory celebrations. Also gone is World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda, a controversial figure who has been replaced by former national team player Montse Tome.

Spain have to put these scandals behind them and pull together before embarking on their Olympic campaign. With FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo, this talent-packed squad will be the one to beat in Paris. IANS

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