Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria were included in coach Lionel Scaloni’s 26-man Argentina World Cup squad on Friday after recovering from injuries, but there was no place for Giovani Lo Celso. Captain Lionel Messi will lead the squad in Qatar during his fifth and likely final World Cup. Last month, Roma forward Dybala injured his thigh and Juventus winger Di Maria pulled his hamstring, seemingly calling their World Cup entry into question. But Scaloni has decided to bring both, despite not having played in almost a month.
Villarreal midfielder Lo Celso, on loan from Tottenham, is missing because he needs surgery for his hamstring injury.
“They are all proud to have been chosen to wear this jersey,” said Scaloni of those selected.
Argentina are on a formidable run of 35 unbeaten games, winning the Copa América last year by beating host Brazil 1-0 in the final at Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
They have not won the World Cup since the late Diego Maradona inspired them to victory in 1986, although they lost two finals to Germany in 1990 (then West Germany) and 2014.
“We are at a good time with Argentina, people are hesitant, they are restless, they think we have already taken the cup home, but it is not that easy,” Messi, 35, said recently.
Two-time champions Argentina will kick off their Group C World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabia on November 22, before clashing again with Mexico and Poland.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/ENG), Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal/ESP)
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Seville/ESP), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid/ESP), German Pezzella (Real Betis/ESP), Cristian Romero (Tottenham/ENG), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica/POR), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United/ NL), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon/FRA), Marcos Acuna (Seville/ESP), Juan Foyth (Villarreal/ESP)
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Juventus/ITA), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis/ESP), Enzo Fernandez (Benfica/POR), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Alejandro Gomez (Seville /ESP), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton/ENG)
promoted
Attackers: Paulo Dybala (Roma/ITA), Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Angel Di Maria (Juventus/ITA), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina/ITA), Joaquin Correa (Inter Milan/ITA), Lautaro Martinez ( Inter Milan/ITA), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City/ENG)
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