Izuchukwu OkosiOlympics defending champions Brazil failed to qualify for the men’s 2024 Olympic football tournament as a 1-0 loss to South American rivals means they will not be at the tournament this autumn.
Argentina have booked their spot in Paris 2024 with the narrow win in the qualifying fixture.
Brazil’s absence will be the first time since 2004 that the Samba boys who were aiming for a third successive gold – will not feature.
Forward Luciano Gondou headed the 77th-minute winner for Argentina’s Under-23s at the South American qualifying tournament for this summer’s Olympics in France.
Brazil have won a men’s football medal at the past four Olympics.
Argentina, who won gold in 2004 and 2008, beating Nigeria in the latter feat in China, finished the final qualifying event with five points.
The Albeceleste are one point ahead of Paraguay, who were playing Venezuela later on Sunday in a match that will decide the other qualifying spot.
Brazil however finished the qualifying campaign with three points.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
