Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni has named his 29-man squad for two upcoming friendlies as the World Cup winners prepare for the Copa America.
Argentina will face Ecuador and Guatemala next month, before the start of the tournament against Canada on June 20. Scaloni must reduce his squad to 26 players for the Copa América.
Lionel Messi is included for both friendlies, along with a host of Premier League players, including Manchester United’s Lisandro Martínez and Alejandro Garnacho.
Scaloni has also selected Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and Nottingham Forest defender Gonzalo Montiel.
Tottenham pair Giovani Lo Celso and Cristiano Romero also made the cut, along with Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Manchester City striker Julián Álvarez and Brighton teenager Valentín Barco.
Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni called up his 29-man squad for two upcoming friendlies.
Lionel Messi is included in the squad, along with a large number of Premier League players
Argentina won the 2021 Copa América and is the favorite to win this year’s tournament
Messi is the only representative of Major League Soccer, and the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will turn 37 during the Copa América.
Messi, who has 180 caps and 106 goals for Argentina, has led Miami to the top of the MLS Eastern Conference.
He returned to Miami’s lineup for this weekend’s win over DC United after missing Wednesday’s game against Florida rivals Orlando due to knee soreness.
The 36-year-old scored 10 goals and recorded nine assists in 10 MLS games this season, adding another two goals and two assists in three appearances in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
He led Argentina to glory in the 2021 Copa América and Scaloni’s team is the favorite to win the tournament, which takes place in the United States between June 20 and July 14.
The winners of the World Cup were drawn in Group A, along with Peru, Chile and Canada.
