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Messi, Garnacho lead first Argentina squad named after World Cup win

World Cup winners Argentina will celebrate with their fans at two home games in March against Panama and Curacao in their first matches since their triumph in Qatar.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni announced a 35-man squad on Friday which included Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and the other members of Argentina's winning squad in Qatar.

Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho is rewarded for impressing at Old Trafford with his first-ever callup. The 18-year-old, in his breakthrough season with Erik ten Hag's side, has contributed five goals and six assists in 30 matches this campaign.

In their first games since beating France in the World Cup final, Argentina will play Panama on March 23 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Five days later, they will host Curacao in another friendly at the northern city of Santiago del Estero.

Scaloni, 44, earlier this week extended his contract until the end of the 2026 World Cup.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Rulli (Ajax)

Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla,), German Pezzella (Real Betis), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Lautaro Blanco (Elche), Nehuen Perez (Udinese).

Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Leandro Paredes (Juventus), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Maximo Perrone (Manchester City), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton), Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal), Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), Valentin Carboni (Inter Milan).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (PSG), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Angel Di Maria (Juventus), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa).