A Argentina will celebrate the third world championship won in Qatar-2022 at home with two friendly matches, against Panama and Curaçao, in the coming weeks, with star Lionel Messi among the squad and young Alejandro Garnacho, from Manchester United, also on the list, informed the federation Argentina (AFA).
The two games will take place shortly after Lionel Scaloni’s contract renewal as Albiceleste coach is confirmed.
The first will be against Panama on March 23, in Buenos Aires, and five days later, against Curaçao, in Santiago del Estero, to the north.
The three-time champion team returned to Argentina after winning the title at the end of December, and was received in the streets by millions of people in a tour that could not be completed because the crowd exceeded all predictions.
For these matches, the first in Argentine territory since March last year, Scaloni called up the same 26 players who participated in winning the World Cup, the third after 36 years of waiting.
Garnacho’s dream
But several players who did not make the final squad were also called up, such as Giovani Lo Celso, who was injured a few weeks before the World Cup, and Nicolás González, also sidelined with physical problems.
In addition, with an eye on upcoming competitions, Scaloni has called up some youngsters with good projection, such as striker Alejandro Garnacho, 18, who in recent months has established himself as a standout at Manchester United.
Garnacho was born in Spain, but his mother is from Argentina and therefore has the possibility of playing for the South American national team.
By the way, Garnacho celebrated his first title wrapped in the blue and white flag a few days ago after winning the English League Cup, having already participated in a youth competition and training for the main team, but this call-up could lead him to play his first matches in Argentina.
Others called up by Scaloni are defender Nehuén Pérez, midfielders Máximo Perrone and Facundo Buonanotte, and Lautaro Blanco, the winger of Spanish Elche who, aged 24, was called up for the first time.
List of called:
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa, England), Gerónimo Rulli (Ajax, Holland), Franco Armani (River Plate).
Defenders: Juan Foyth (Villarreal, Spain), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla, Spain), Marcos Acuña (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Nehuén Pérez (Udinese, Italy), Germán Pezzella (Betis, Spain), Cristian Romero (Tottenham, England), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica, Portugal), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United, England), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon, França) and Lautaro Blanco (Elche, Spain).
Socks: Leandro Paredes (Juventus), Guido Rodriguez (Betis), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Maximo Perrone (Manchester City), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton, England), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United, USA), Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal), Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) and Valentin Carboni (Internazionale, Italy).
Attackers: Lionel Messi (PSG), Paulo Dybala (AS Roma, Italy), Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Angel Di Maria (Juventus), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United). ), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina, Italy) and Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla).
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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