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The 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will skip the summer Olympic, but will play in the Copa America in the United States.
Lionel Messi was available for selection to Argentina’s Olympic team as one of the three player older than 23, but Argentina coach Gerardo Martino has revealed that it would be too much to expect Messi to feature in both summer events and have him fit for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
“Messi will not go to the Olympic Games,” Martino said on Monday to Argentine radio station La Red.
Argentina are in line for a busy schedule in 2016 as Martino’s team will play the Copa America Centenario, the Olympic Games and the World Cup qualifiers in September, October and November.
Too much playing time would likely have detrimental effect on Barcelona star, so he will miss the Olympics.
However, Lionel Messi will take part in the Copa America in the States which will be held from June 3 to June 26 to celebrate the COMENBOL’s centenary.
On the other side, the Olympic Games are scheduled to open on August 5 and will end on August 21. Leo Messi has already won the golden medal with Argentina at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
