"Yeah, as a coach, I gotta extend the invite," said Argentina's under-23 coach, Javier Mascherano, with that firm statement, he opened the door to a dream that millions of fans began to nurture this Sunday, when his team secured a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The prospect of adding Lionel Messi and Ángel di María to a lineup already featuring the likes of Thiago Almada, Federico Redondo, Valentín Barco, and Claudio 'Diablito' Echeverri, champions of the world in Qatar 2022, is not just a fantasy for Argentine fans but a thrilling thought for any football aficionado.

"Of course, we'll talk. Everyone knows my bond with Leo and Ángel: we're friends, we have a great relationship. As a coach, it's my duty to invite them, but we also understand they have other commitments, and it'll depend on that too. It's not that simple," said 'El Jefecito' to TyC Sports' microphones right after the Pre-Olympics played in Venezuela.

Their 1-0 victory over Brazil not only secured Argentina's place but also dashed Brazil's hopes and facilitated Paraguay's title win, earning them a ticket to Paris as well.

Messi's public congratulations on his Instagram account only fueled the desire of Argentine fans, who have been scrutinizing every word or action since their idol gave them the third World Cup title on December 18, 2022, flooding social media with requests for the 'Pulga' to join Paris 2024.

Back in January, during the preparations for the South American Pre-Olympics that concluded this Sunday, Mascherano had stated that Messi and Di María "earned the right to choose" and that if they wanted to attend the Olympic event, "they could."

Aware that the Copa América, taking place from June 20 to July 14, where Argentina defends the title won in 2022, will be - as he announced - Di María's farewell from the national team, 'El Jefecito' expressed at that time that "it would also be a nice closure at the Games," which will take place from July 26 to August 11.

In Beijing 2008, Mascherano, one of the over-23 players called up by the then coach, 1986 World Cup champion Sergio Batista, shared the squad with another 'veteran,' Juan Román Riquelme, and under-23 players Sergio 'Kun' Agüero, Éver Banega, Fernando Gago, Ezequiel Lavezzi, and Pablo Zabaleta, among others.

Messi and Di María were also part of that team, having already won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands 2005 and Canada 2007, respectively. Both were key players in the final, with Di María scoring the winning goal, assisted by Messi, who provided a pass from the midfield for his fellow Rosario native's run.

Both now have the opportunity to return to the French capital, a city where their experiences varied - despite the titles won, Di María excelled during his seven seasons at Paris Saint-Germain while Messi never felt quite comfortable during his two years there.

No one knows if their busy schedules will allow them to attend another Olympic Games, let alone match Mascherano's glory of winning a second gold. But if there's one thing Argentines know, it's how to keep the dream alive. That's why no one can take away their hope of seeing Messi and Di María in Paris 2024.