FC Barcelona releases Messi for Beijing 2008

(BEIJING, July 17) -- Spanish football club FC Barcelona has agreed to release Argentine footballer Lionel Messi for Beijing 2008

The decision came after FIFA reiterated that clubs must release players who are less than 23 years old for Olympic football tournaments, and Messi is only 21.

Argentina's Olympic football team will begin pre-Games training on July 23. The country's group opponents include Serbia, Australia and Cote d'Ivoire.