Messi out: Argentina’s youngsters enter World Cup qualification
Argentina captain Lionel Messi is out through injury and was on Monday left out of the squad by the Argentine Football Association for next month’s South American World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.
The 37-year-old was left out of the 28-man squad after sustaining an ankle injury in the Copa America final in the USA last month.
The Inter Miami player is currently recovering at his club.
River Plate goalkeeper Franco Armani was also not included in the squad, as was striker Angel Di Maria, who announced his retirement from the national team after the Copa America.
Coach Lionel Scaloni called up midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez and striker Valentin Castellanos for the first time, as well as young players with few international caps, including Alejandro Garnacho, Valentin Carboni, Valentin Barco and Matias Soule.
Argentina will host Chile at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on September 5 before facing Colombia in Barranquilla five days later.
Squad:
Goalkeeper: Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Geronimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atalanta), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa).
Defender: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), German Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyonnais), Valentin Barco (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Midfielder: Guido Rodriguez (West Ham United), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur), Ezequiel Fernandez (Al Qadsiah), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Leandro Paredes (AS Roma).
Forward: Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Matias Soule (AS Roma), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Valentin Carboni (Olympique de Marseille), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Valentin Castellanos (Lazio).
