Lionel Messi is aching to win another major trophy for Argentina, but the FC Barcelona forward will likely skip the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 2016 Rio Olympics will be an under-23 competition but national teams are allowed to include three players over the age limit. Messi could provide a huge boost to Argentina, but coach Gerardo Martino is not expecting the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to play in Rio.

Argentina are set to compete in two major competitions this year. Aside from the 2016 Rio Olympics, they will play in the 2016 Centennial Copa America in the United States. For Martino, playing Messi in both competitions will be too much for the superstar and could hurt them in the long run.

"To expose Leo to playing a new competition, after all he has done, seems to me to be too much," Martino told Clarin via ESPN FC. "We would again be damaging ourselves, considering what is ahead in the second half of the year."

Martino said that fans should understand that their situation is different from Brazil, who are expected to use superstar Neymar in both competitions. He said Brazil have no choice because they need to perform well in the Summer Olympics because they are the host of the quadrennial event.

Martino admitted that he has not talked to Messi about his plans. But based on Messi's schedule and his recent knee injury, he concluded that the 28-year-old should focus on the Centennial Copa America competition.

"I have not spoken with him, truly," Martino said. "Things have been happening pretty quickly, our priorities were others, and then he had the problem with his knee, so we were not able to talk. But it seems to me that common sense says that he, like other players, only takes part in the Copa America Centenario."

Messi helped Argentina win the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. But since then, the Rosario, Argentina native has not led his national team to a major title after losing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Copa America finals.

Unlike Messi, some senior players could play in both competitions, but Martino pointed out that they will study their options carefully because most of their key players are playing major minutes in different club competitions. Playing them in both tournaments could affect their conditioning and availability for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers later this year.

"I think it is only logical to take the weight of having to play in both the Copa America and the Olympics off their shoulders," Martino added. "I see it as more important for them to be in good shape for World Cup qualifying, for them to be able to spend preseason with their clubs and have a break after the Copa America."