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With the 2018 FIFA World Cup inching ever so closer, EA Sports is in the process of releasing different national team squads for their FIFA 18 game. On Monday, they have come up with one of the giants of world football -- Argentina!
The two-time World Cup champions and 2014 finalists are certainly one of the teams to watch out for in the mega event, that is set to be held in Russia next month.
The Albiceleste have had had a dicey qualification process leading up to the World Cup, but they certainly have one of the strongest teams in the competition, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero expected to be in the squad.
The new Argentina squad sees FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi getting one rating increase from 93 to 94, as he heads to the World Cup. Meanwhile, his fellow forward and Juventus' main striker Gonzalo Higuain has lost a couple of rating points from 90 to 88.
The highest rated defender in the Argentina squad is Manchester City centreback Nicolas Otamendi, who has been rated at 86, three points higher than what he was rated on the original version of the game.
The Argentines are often accused of being a top-heavy side, and that seems evident from the ratings in their team as well. while they have some of the best attackers in the world, in the form of Messi (94), Di Maria (85) and Aguero (87), their midfield seems to be lacking a similar punch.
The highest rated player in the middle of the park for the Albiceleste is Juventus star Paolo Dybala (87), followed by PSG playmaker Javier Pastore, who has been given a rating of 83.
Argentina squad and ratings on FIFA 18 World Cup update
Goalkeepers:
Gerónimo Rulli: 80
Sergio Romero: 82
Defenders:
Pablo Zabaleta (RB): 78
Mateo Mussachio (CB): 81
Ezequiel Garay (CB): 81
Marcos Rojo (CB): 81
Federico Fazio (CB): 82
Nicolas Otamendi (CB): 86
Midfielders:
Augusto Fernandez (CM): 80
Fernando Belluschi (CAM): 80
Roberto Pereyra (CM): 80
Leandro Paredes (CM): 80
Javier Mascherano (CDM): 81
Éver Banega (CM): 82
Lucas Biglia (CDM): 82
Javier Pastore (CM): 83
Paulo Dybala (CAM): 87
Forwards:
Darío Benedetto (ST): 79
Lucas Pratto (ST): 79
Emiliano Rigoni (RW): 79
Marcos Acuña (LW): 79
Ezequiel Lavezzi (LW): 80
Ángel Correa (ST): 80
Eduardo Salvio (RW): 80
Alejandro Gómez (LW): 84
Mauro Icardi (ST): 85
Ángel Di María (RW): 85
Sergio Agüero (ST): 87
Gonzalo Higuain (ST): 88
Lionel Messi (RW): 94
