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When he was younger, Messi won the Under-20 World Cup and the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics with Argentina. |
According to One Football Players who leave abroad on a free transfer – on the basis of “patria potestad” (parental representation rights) – will no longer be called up for the Argentina youth teams. This measure is intended to combat the “brain drain” of talent to Europe, without providing training benefits to local clubs.
Argentine media have called the AFA’s decision a shock to Argentine football as it limits development opportunities for players. If this rule had been applied in the past, Lionel Messi would even have been excluded from the youth academy of the “Albiceleste”.
At a very young age, Leo left Argentina to join Barcelona without signing a professional contract with an Argentinian club. Under current regulations, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s path to a career in the Argentine youth teams would have been completely blocked.
AFA youth team director Javier Mendez Cartier confirmed that this was a systematic decision: “The AFA, in accordance with the guidelines of the President and the Board, always protects the interests of the clubs that train players. Anyone who does not respect this and chooses to leave at the request of his or her parents will not be called up to a youth team.”
The AFA believes that the new rules provide a safeguard for the national training system, although there are still doubts in public opinion about the line between protecting the interests of clubs and limiting the development opportunities of young talents.
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