World Cup 2022 best goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez hinted that he wants to join Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“If there’s something I haven’t achieved with the national team, it’s winning the Olympics,” the goalkeeper playing for Aston Villa told DirecTV Sports.
At the Olympics, each team is allowed to register three players over 23 years old. Last year, Argentina U23 coach Javier Mascherano said he invited Messi and Di Maria to lead the young players in Paris.
According to Argentine media, Martinez really wants to join his two teammates on the national team to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics, because the Olympic gold medal is the only major title this 31-year-old goalkeeper lacks at all levels of the team. Previously, Martinez won the 2022 World Cup and 2021 Copa America.
Messi has not yet announced whether he wants to compete in the Olympics or not. Meanwhile, Di Maria once shared that he wanted to leave the national team after Copa America 2024, the tournament takes place from June 20 to July 14, while the Olympics takes place from late July to early August.
Martinez is also ready to give opportunities to young goalkeepers in the national team if Argentina successfully defends the Copa America 2024 championship. He said: “Young players always need the opportunity to play. If the team achieves good results in Next Copa America, we should give younger players the opportunity to join the team.”
Players like Messi or Martinez are likely to have to choose between Copa America and the Olympics. Previously, there were also players who attended two major tournaments in a row like Pedri, the Spanish midfielder attending the Euro and Olympics in the same summer of 2021 at the age of 19. However, that will be a much bigger challenge, with players The player is over 30.
Messi just played for Inter Miami in a friendly match, drawing 1-1 with Newell’s Old Boy – the club he played for during his childhood. Meanwhile, Martinez will join Aston Villa as a guest at Fulham Stadium in round 25 of the Premier League tomorrow, February 17.