PARIS.- Sin Lionel MessiRodri and Kylian Mbappé, less media-friendly figures in the world of football such as Julián Álvarez, Alexandre Lacazette and Pau Cubarsí will fight for gold from Wednesday in the Olympic Games from Paris.
The refusal of clubs to loan out their stars, because the Olympics are not part of the FIFA calendar, gives other players the chance to become stars.
Alvarez, the time of ‘9’
World Cup champion and recent Copa America winner in the United States, the Manchester City striker is the most media-friendly face of the Argentina team led by Javier Mascherano.
Álvarez (24) is one of three men over 23 years old in the Albiceleste of “Jefecito” along with goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli and central defender Nicolás Otamendi, also victorious in Qatar 2022.
The men’s football tournament at the Games is for the under-23 age group, but teams can call up to three players who are older than that age limit.
“It gives us a leap in quality” to have world champions, said Mascherano, who will seek the feat of winning his third Olympic gold after participating in the coronations in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
The “Spider”‘s presence in France comes at a time of rumours about his possible departure from Pep Guardiola’s City, from whom he is demanding more playing time.
Lacazette, the host letter
Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid gave the thumbs down so that Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann could fight for the gold medal at home.
With no French front-line players, 33-year-old striker Alexandre Lacazette will lead Thierry Henry’s ‘Les Bleus’ in their quest for a second gold medal at the Games, to add to the one they won in Los Angeles in 1984.
“I don’t have any particular role and that’s what made me feel more comfortable. (Henry) accepted me as a player and not as a coach or as an uncle. He doesn’t make me feel older than the others,” said the Olympique Lyon striker.
Before being seduced by “Titi”, the former Arsenal player had not played for France since November 2017.
Cubarsí, López and Baena, new Spanish blood
Although they will be without two newly qualified Euro champions, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, Spain will be aiming for their second top spot with three other fresh-bloods.
Two of them, defender Pau Cubarsí (17) and midfielder Fermín López (21), are already standing out at FC Barcelona and the other, midfielder Alex Baena (23), at Villarreal.
López and Baena lifted the European Championship in Germany with Luis de la Fuente’s La Roja and are now looking forward to winning their country’s second gold medal, after the one they won in Barcelona 1992.
“It would be a historic event to be able to win the two golds and I think we have a very good team to be able to achieve something great,” said the athlete from the Yellow Submarine.
Keita, for redemption
His talent led him to play for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Now at Werder Bremen in Germany, Naby Keita is responsible for guiding Guinea, the last-placed team, back to the Olympics.
The 29-year-old midfielder, captain of the senior national team, will seek redemption on French soil after his stormy return to Germany.
In addition to recurring injuries that kept him from playing in just five games last season, he was suspended by his club in April after he refused to travel to a Bundesliga match after learning he would not be starting.
He is the most famous face of Guinea, who have not played in the tournament since Mexico 1968.
Hakimi, the Moroccan lighthouse
In their first participation since London 2012, Morocco will hope to emulate or surpass the historic campaign that took them to fourth place at the World Cup in Qatar.
For that purpose, he will have a man who knows Paris well, PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi.
Hakimi, 25, who was charged with rape against a woman in March 2023, will lead the Atlas Lions coached by Tarik Sektioui.
Source: AFP
