Messi included in 29-man squad for Argentina’s pre-Copa America friendly matches

Buenos Aires [Argentina], May 21 (ANI): The World Cup-winning captain and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will lead Argentina’s 29-man squad for upcoming friendly matches ahead of the Copa America competition.

As per ESPN’s report on Tuesday, the defending World Cup and Copa America champions will lock horns with Ecuador on June 9 at Chicago’s Soldier Field and Guatemala five days later at in Landover, Maryland before putting the Copa America title on the line.

Copa America will take place from June 20 and July 14 in the USA, with Argentina being the defending champions, having won the title in 2021. Argentina is level with Uruguay for most Copa America titles at 15 each.

The team managed by Lionel Scaloni includes 22 of 26 names from the 2022 FIFA World Cup winning team in Qatar, such as Messi and Angel De Maria. Missing from the team are stars like: Paulo Dybala (AS Roma), Juan Foyth (Villarreal) and Thiago Almada (Atlanta United FC).

Teams are supposed to submit their final Copa America squad by June 15, with 26 players per team being the maximum size, as confirmed by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) last week.

Argentina will open their Copa America campaign against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 in Atlanta, then move on to New Jersey for a match against Chile then play Peru at Florida.

Argentina, the defending world and South American champion, opens Copa America against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 in Atlanta, then plays Chile five days later in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Peru on June 29 at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Argentina roster for Copa America friendlies

GOALKEEPERS: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Ajax Amsterdam)

DEFENDERS: Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), German Pezzella (Betis), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Valentin Barco (Brighton)

MIDFIELDERS: Guido Rodriguez (Betis), Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Valentin Carboni (Monza).

FORWARDS: Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicolas Gonzalez (FC Porto), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) Julian Alvarez (Manchester City).