Inter captain Mauro Icardi has been named in Argentina’s preliminary 35-man squad for this summer’s World Cup.
There is fierce competition for places among Argentine strikers, and it has been suggested that the Nerazzurri man could miss out.
However, he has been included in Jorge Sampaoli’s preliminary squad, along with Juventus pair Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala.
Lautaro Martinez, who is set to join Inter from Racing Club has also been called.
Inter captain Mauro Icardi has been named in Argentina’s preliminary 35-man squad for this summer’s World Cup.
There is fierce competition for places among Argentine strikers, and it has been suggested that the Nerazzurri man could miss out.
However, he has been included in Jorge Sampaoli’s preliminary squad, along with Juventus pair Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala.
Lautaro Martinez, who is set to join Inter from Racing Club has also been called.
Sampaoli must cut his squad to 23 for the tournament itself though, so there are no guarantees for Icardi, Dybala and Higuain at this stage, all of whom have been left out of recent squads.
Argentina preliminary World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero [Manchester United], Wilfredo Caballero [Chelseas], Franco Armani [River Plate], Nahuel Guzmán [Tigres]
Defenders: Gabriel Mercado [Sevilla], Federico Fazio [Roma], Marcos Rojo [Manchester United], Nicolás Otamendi [Manchester City], Ramiro Funes Mori [Everton], Germán Pezzella [Fiorentina], Nicolás Tagliafico [Ajax], Cristian Ansaldi [Torino]
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano [Hebei China Fortune], Eduardo Salvio [Benfica], Marcos Acuña [Sporting CP], Leandro Paredes [Zenit St Petersburg], Pablo Pérez [Boca Juniors], Rodrigo Battaglia [Sporting CP], Ever Banega [Sevilla], Enzo Pérez [River Plate], Lucas Biglia [Milan], Manuel Lanzini [West Ham United], Giovani Lo Celso [Paris Saint-Germain], Maximiliano Meza [Independiente], Ángel Di María [Paris Saint-Germain], Diego Perotti [Roma], Guido Pizarro [Sevilla], Ricardo Centurión [Racing Club]
Forwards: Lionel Messi [Barcelona], Sergio Agüero [Manchester City], Gonzalo Higuaín [Juventus], Lautaro Martínez [Racing Club], Cristian Pavón [Boca Juniors], Paulo Dybala [Juventus], Mauro Icardi [Inter]