Alfio Basile has named his squad for Argentina’s opening two World Cup 2010 qualifiers, at home to Chile and away to Venezuela on the 13th and 16th of October. Juan Román Riquelme, despite being stuck in limbo after failing to find his way to another club before the European transfer window closed, is included, and there are returns for Daniel Díaz and Esteban Cambiasso, injured for the last match Argentina played against Australia. Also one that’s been expected for a while – Sergio Agüero has his first call-up. Hernán Crespo’s lack of match time so far this season (presumably) rules him out, and Germán Denis’s ridiculous scoring record thus far in the Apertura hasn’t proven enough to convince Basile to name a domestic player in the 20.
Argentina squad to face Chile and Venezuela:
Goalkeepers:
Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe, Spain)
Oscar Ustari (Getafe)
Defenders:
Daniel Díaz (Getafe)
Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid, Spain)
Gabriel Milito (Barcelona, Spain)
Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo de La Coruña, Spain)
Javier Zanetti (Internazionale, Italy)
Nicolás Burdisso (Internazionale)
Midfielders:
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid)
Maximiliano Rodríguez (Atlético de Madrid, Spain)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Real Mallorca, Spain)
Juan Román Riquelme (Villarreal, Spain)
Esteban Cambiasso (Internazionale)
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England)
Martín Demichelis (Bayern München, Germany)
Federico Insúa (Club América, Mexico)
Forwards:
Javier Saviola (Real Madrid)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester United, England)
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I hope Crespo never, ever, ever plays another match for the national squad, because I don’t want him to beat Bati’s goal-scoring record.
LOL.
My loyalty sometimes overwhelms my rationality, I’m afraid … ;)