Fresh faces and surprise omissions as Argentina name squad for friendly

Argentina have named their squad for the upcoming international window, with all eyes on Lionel Messi as the world champions gear up for their final preparations ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

Following the cancellation of the Finalissima, coach Lionel Scaloni quickly arranged a friendly against Guatemala on March 31. The match will be played at the iconic La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, serving as Argentina’s last rehearsal before the global showpiece.

Messi headlines the squad once again, expected to lead a side that blends experience with emerging talent.

There are a couple of surprise inclusions, with Tomas Palacios and Gabriel Rojas earning their first senior

Argentina have also been boosted by the return of Marcos Acuna, who missed the previous friendly window.

However, Scaloni has been dealt a blow with several key absentees due to injury. Giovani Lo Celso, Lisandro Martinez and Lautaro Martinez all miss out, weakening the core of the side.

The squad selection also highlights a tactical shift, with youngsters Nico Paz and Gianluca Prestianni preferred over Franco Mastantuono and Alejandro Garnacho. Meanwhile, Jose Manuel Lopez has edged ahead of Joaquin Panichelli in the pecking order.

Scaloni is also keeping tabs on players such as Valentin Barco, Maximo Perrone and Marcos Senesi as he fine-tunes his options.

With Messi at the centre of the setup, Argentina will look to build momentum and rhythm before heading into the World Cup.

Argentina squad

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli

Defenders: Marcos Acuna, Leonardo Balerdi, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Otamendi, Tomas Palacios, Gabriel Rojas, Cristian Romero, Marcos Senesi, Nicolas Tagliafico

Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Maximo Perrone, Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes, Nico Paz, Maximo Perrone, Gianluca Prestianni

Attackers: Thiago Almada, Julian Alvarez, Nico Gonzalez, Jose Lopez, Lionel Messi, Giuliano Simeone