Football fans may still vividly recall the memories of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final but for the Argentine team, it is a thing of the past as La Albiceleste are all set to embark on their title defence this week. In their first competitive fixture, since the FIFA World Cup triumph in December last year, Messi’s side will be up against Ecuador at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
This year, Messi will be taking part in his sixth World Cup qualifiers. The fixture against Ecuador will also mark Messi’s first game in the Argentina jersey since completing his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami earlier this summer. In their second World Cup qualifiers, the defending champions will face Bolivia in La Paz.
Messi, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, was among the three MLS footballers to be picked by Argentina team management for the first two rounds of the World Cup qualifiers. Apart from Messi, Thiago Almada of Atlanta United and Alan Velasco of FC Dallas are in Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers squad. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni’s 32-man team also includes big names like midfielder Angel Di Maria, defender Nicolas Otamendi and Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez.
With the huge pressure of defending the title, the opening phase of the qualifiers can turn out to be a bit tricky for Argentina. During an interaction with AFA Estudio, Scaloni admitted that “the start is always complicated.”
“What is coming is very difficult, the start is always complicated. Hopefully, the players get here healthy and the fans enjoy seeing the national team. We are going to complete, which is what we like to do. For us as a coaching staff, it’s always a pleasure to receive them. And that the fans could also enjoy them, have them close to them,” Scaloni was quoted as saying by Mundo Albiceleste.
Brazil to meet Bolivia
Meanwhile, five-time champions Brazil will start their FIFA World Cup qualifiers campaign with a match against Bolivia. Brazil’s interim coach Fernando Diniz will lead the side. Apart from handling Brazil duties, Diniz is also the coach of Fluminense. West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta will not be a part of the Brazilian squad for this month’s qualifiers.
Apart from South American powerhouse Brazil and Argentina, teams like Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay and Chile will be involved in the first-round matches of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Two-time World Cup champions Uruguay will face Chile in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
Argentina full squad:
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), and Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Defenders: Lucas Esquivel (Athletico Paranaense), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Germán Pezzella (Real Betis), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth) and Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)
Midfielders: Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis) and Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense)
Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Manchester City), Lucas Beltrán (Fiorentina), Nicolás González (Fiorentina), Ángel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Ángel Di María (Benfica), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) and Alan Velasco (FC Dallas)
Brazil full Squad:
Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Athletico Paranaense) and Ederson (Manchester City)/.
Defenders: Danilo (Juventus), Vanderson (AS Monaco), Caio Henrique (AS Monaco), Renan Lodi (Nottingham Forest), Roger Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Marquinhos (Paris St Germain) and Nino (Fluminense).
Midfielders: Andre (Fluminense), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United), Casemiro (Manchester United), Joelinton (Newcastle United) and Raphael Veiga (Palmeiras).
Forwards: Antony (Manchester United), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Neymar (Al-Hilal), Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur), Rodrygo (Real Madrid) and Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid).
