Football: Argentina announce 26-man squad for Copa America title defense

NEW DELHI — Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has named his final 26-man squad for the Copa América, with veterans Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María leading the charge. The squad features a blend of experience and youth, with 21 players returning from the 2022 World Cup victory.

“I have decided which players will be left out, but first I am going to inform them. The decision always involves looking for the best for the team. This is the most difficult list of all because we have had complications,” Scaloni said to reporters after their 4-1 victory over Guatemala.

Scaloni experimented during pre-tournament friendlies, calling up 29 players including youngsters Valentín Barco, Ángel Correa, and Leonardo Balerdi. However, they didn’t make the final cut. Conversely, Monza’s Valentín Carboni impressed against Guatemala and earned a call-up, receiving praise from Messi himself.

Argentina open their Copa América campaign against Canada on June 20th at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. They’ll then face Chile and Peru in Group A, aiming to defend their 2021 Copa America title.

Argentina Squad:

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Geronimo Rulli, Emiliano Martinez

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, German Pezzella, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Marcos Acuna, Nicolas Tagliafico,

Midfielders: Guido Rodriguez, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, Giovani Lo Celso

Forwards: Angel Di Maria, Valentin Carboni, Lionel Messi, Alejandro Garnacho, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez