And Leo Messi? Call up the Argentina national team for friendly matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica

Lionel Scaloni has made official this Friday the list of call-ups for the United States’ friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica on March 22 and 26.

Also see: Will Keeler be there? Costa Rica team suffering from lack of quality, Honduras will fight for Copa America ticket

With Leo Messi at the helm, the Albiceleste will face these matches that will serve as preparation for the big official challenge that faces them in the middle of the year, the Copa America 2024.

One of the surprises was the first call-up to the senior team of former Boca player Valentín Barco, who currently plays for Brighton. However, since he joined the Buenos Aires club in the lower divisions, the left back has featured in the U-13, U-15 and even U-20.

Other “new faces” included in Scaloni’s team are goalkeepers Walter Benítez, Nehuen Pérez, Facundo Buonote, Valentin Carboni. There are absences due to physical problems and they are world champions: Gonzalo Montiel, Lisandro Martínez, Marcos Acuña and Guido Rodríguez.

On the other hand, it should be noted that goalkeeper Franco Armani is the only player who plays for a team in the Argentine Professional League, whose club is River Plate.

goalkeeper

Franco Armani (River Plate)

Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven)

Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa).

citadel

German Pezzella (Real Betis)

Nehuen Perez (Udinese)

Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)

Christian Romero (Tottenham)

Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon)

Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth)

Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)

Valentin Barco (Brighton)

midfielder

Exquiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)

Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)

Leandro Paredes (AS Roma)

Alexis McAllister (Liverpool)

Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)

Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham)

Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina)

Facundo Buonanot (Brighton)

Valentin Carboni (Monza, Italy).

forward

Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)

Angel Di Maria (Benfica)

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)

Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)

Paulo Dybala (AS Roma).