Lucas going to the Olympics

[Bender]

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva wants to play for Brazil in the Beijing Olympics.

"Hopefully I will be picked," he said. "That would mean I would start the pre-season here with Liverpool and then later on I would go to the Olympics.

"I need to wait for the squad to be picked but hopefully I will go. I know that would mean me missing some games for Liverpool and that is not good, but when you talk about your country you always want to play for them.

"And for Brazil the Olympics is like the World Cup because Brazil has never won the gold medal. It is also important for my future as an international player because the World Cup qualifiers are coming up and obviously I would like to be in the squad for those.

"So now I need to think about the Olympics and I will speak with Rafa about this."

[Sean_LFC_1892]

That's Lucas & Mascha gone..!

Let's hope they get knocked out earlier rather than later for our sake and that Xabi is staying.

[glynner]

What I want to know is are players like Tevez going?

Somehow I can't see purple nose accomadating his request to go to Beijing.

[Scratch]

Is there an age restriction on players at the olympics for football? Something like 23? Plus 2 players over that age or something similar? I could be wrong on that, it just sounds familiar for some reason.

[BFG]

Is there an age restriction on players at the olympics for football? Something like 23? Plus 2 players over that age or something similar? I could be wrong on that, it just sounds familiar for some reason.

I'm pretty sure you've nailed it mate.

[Shaggy]

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=50630&page=4

[Scratch]

I'm pretty sure you've nailed it mate.

Got this from the BBC website

The Olympic men's football tournament is reserved for players under the age of 23, but Fifa allows every country to use a maximum of three over-age players for the competition.


So, Tevez is 24 and thus, if the Argies wanted to take him, he'd be one of the three players. And if selected, i doubt Fergie would be able to stop him going.

[Imy]

oh oh oh oh oh all our midfielders are at the olympics
They've got the Javier Mascherano and Lucas Levia doing the tricks