Argentina World Cup Squad 2018: Messi leads Sampaoli's strategy, Icardi out

Argentina has in its squad only three players who are under 25 years of age, including Paulo Dybala

Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli announced his provisional list of 23 players for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Serie A joint top-scorer and Inter Milan captain Mauro Icardi is the most notable absentee from Sampaoli's 23-man list. Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, who has not played since March and is recovering from a knee operation, featured in the squad and is racing against time to be fit for the event..

Sampoali is going to the world cup with a host of injured or recovering players. Not only this, he will also have to tackle Argentina’s ageing squad. The ‘Albiceleste’ feature a notable amount of veterans. 14 of total 23 players selected in the squad will have passed 30 years of age till the end of the World Cup. Only three players are under 25 years in the squad, including Paulo Dybala.
 
Argentina's first choice goalie, Sergio Romero has been ruled out due to a knee injury. The Man United reserve was named in the 23 member squad and was also practicing with the national team but fresh reports state that he is out of this year's World Cup. 

In a news conference, Sampaoli said, "choices are based on players that can do many functions to give us different characteristics. Those players in the final list are closer to the idea we are implementing. They are closer to the opposition's goal line than to their own."

Argentina's 23-man squad | Photo: Twitter @Selección Argentina

 
Icardi was part of Sampaoli's preliminary list of 35 players announced initially. He scored 29 goals in Serie A, including the one that took Inter Milan to the Champions League for the first time since 2012.
 
Injured, defender Gabriel Mercado and midfielder Lucas Biglia also made it to the squad. Mercado's injury opened doors for the surprise inclusion of the 31-year-old Torino FC left-back Cristian Ansaldi, who has not played for the national team since 2014.

"We need to face the World Cup without fear," Sampaoli said. "In this list there are players with a lot of skill. The ones that understand our game better will be closer to being starters," he added.
 
Asked about his squad, Sampaoli said that he will take full responsibility for his selection.
 
The 2014 runners-up will open their Russia 2018 campaign in Group D against debutants Iceland on 16 June, before further matches against Croatia and Nigeria.


Here is the full list of Argentina’s 23-member provisional squad:
 
Goalkeepers: Wilfredo Caballero (Chelsea/England), Franco Armani (River Plate).
 
Defenders: Cristian Ansaldi (Torino/Italy), Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla/Spain), Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City/England), Federico Fazio (Roma/Italy), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United/England), Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon/Portugal), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax/Netherlands).,
 
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Hebei China Fortune/China PR), Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors), Maximiliano Meza (Independiente), Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Giovani Lo Celso (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham/England), Ever Banega (Sevilla/Spain), Lucas Biglia (AC Milan/Italy), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica/Portugal).
 
Forwards: Paulo Dybala (Juventus/Italy), Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus/Italy), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Spain), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City/England).
 
Players who missed out:

Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan), Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Erik Lamela (Totenham Hotspur), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Heibei China Fortune)