Messi included in Argentina squad

Lionel Messi has been included in the Argentina squad for next month's friendlies with Bolivia and Mexico.

There had been reports that the four-time Ballon d'Or winner had asked Gerardo Martino to be excused from the Albiceleste's next two outings and was even considering his future with the national team, after being upset by the flak he came in for after his country's loss to Chile in the final of this year's Copa America.


Indeed, even Martino admitted that he would have already walked away had he been subjected to the same level of criticism, stating: "Talk of him considering retiring from the national team is frustrating but understandable: if I were Messi, I'd have stopped playing for Argentina a long time ago."

However, the Barcelona attacker has once again been named as captain for the September 4 meeting with Bolivia and the game against Mexico four days later.

Meanwhile, Angel Di Maria has also been included, even though the winger has yet to make his first appearance for Paris Saint-Germain since joining from Manchester United earlier this summer.

Full Argentina Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Manchcester United), Nahuel Guzman (Club Tigres).

Defenders: Agustin Marchesin (Santos Laguna), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Facundo Roncaglia (Genoa), Ezequiel Garay (Zenit), Nicolas Otamendi (Valencia), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), Milton Casco (Newell's Old Boys), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Ramiro Funes Mori (River Plate), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Ever Banega (Sevilla), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Javier Pastore (PSG), Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur), Roberto Pereyra (Juventus), Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Angel Di Maria (PSG).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Ezequiel Lavezzi (PSG).