As world-class athletes prepare to take the pitch for the 2024 Olympic Games, some of the biggest stars in soccer world, including Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France) and Christian Pulisic (USA), will not be competing in Paris partly due to an age restriction on rosters.
What’s the age limit for Olympic soccer?
The men's competition is an under-23 tournament, meaning all players must be born on or after January 1, 2001, to be eligible to compete in Paris.
There are no age restrictions in the women's tournament.
Why is there an age limit for Olympic soccer?
The intent behind the under-23 age limit is to focus on young, emerging talent in the sport during the Olympic Games.
Are overage players allowed on the Olympic soccer team?
Each team is allowed to select three overage players to their roster that are older than the 23-year-old cap.
Are there any overage players competing on the US Olympic soccer team?
The United States Olympic men’s soccer team includes three overage players: Walker Zimmerman (31), Miles Robinson (27) and Djordje Mihailovic (25).