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Argentina recently announced the squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers. A few big names are missing from the list and with the Copa America set to begin in June, there is a possibility that these players are not going to make the cut.
Argentina play Chile on the 3rd of June and they will face off against Colombia on the 8th. It is evident that they are two very high-profile matchups and one would expect La Albiceleste to name their strongest squads for the fixtures.
With Copa America set to start on the 14th of June, it is being widely suggested that Argentina's squad selection for the 47th edition of the tournament will be based on the two upcoming games. Therefore, the players who have been left out of the squad are quite justified in feeling aggrieved.
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The Argentina squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers
Marcos Acuña, Sergio Agüero, Lucas Alario, Emi Buendía, Ángel Correa, Joaquín Correa, Rodrigo de Paul, Ángel di María, Nicolás Domínguez, Juan Foyth, Alejandro Gómez, Nicolás González, Giovanni lo Celso, Agustín Marchesín, Emiliano Martínez, Lautaro Martínez, Lisandro Martínez, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Lionel Messi, Nahuel Molina, Juan Musso, Guido Rodríguez, Cristian Romero, Lucas Ocampos, Nicolás Otamendi, Exequiel Palacios, José Luis Palomino, Leandro Paredes, Germán Pezzella and Nicolás Tagliafico.
Without further ado, let's take a look at four of the biggest stars left out of Argentina's squad for the upcoming qualifiers.
#4 Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Young Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is one of the big names that has been left out of the squad. He has only made two appearances for the national side but has impressed for the Seagulls this season.
The 22-year-old who can play in a number of positions across midfield, is a dead-ball specialist and is neat in possession. He loves testing the keeper from range and adds a lot of flair to the final third with his slick dribbling, passing and movement.
He had an impressive loan spell at Boca Juniors in 2019 and would have been hoping to get a call-up to the national side for the Copa America and the Olympics. But those hopes have taken a big hit now that he has been left out of the squad for the upcoming qualifiers against Chile and Colombia.
However, he has been called up to the Argentina u-23 side that will play two friendlies against Denmark and Saudi Arabia in June.
#3 Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur)
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Erik Lamela is a mercurial talent. He has constantly struggled with injuries all throughout his career and at 29 years of age, it looks like Lamela won't be able to maximize his potential.
He most recently made the news for his stunning 'rabona' winner in the North London derby against Arsenal. The BBC's Match of the Day program voted it the "Goal of the season."
However, Lamela only started five games this season in the Premier League and came off the bench 18 times. Argentina have no shortage of midfield talent and it is easy to see why he hasn't been chosen.
Lamela has neither made a great case for himself nor has he been able to get game time on a regular basis. So selecting him in the squad would be a gamble.
#2 Mauro Icardi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Scaloni surprised everyone by leaving out Mauro Icardi. The Argentine striker has had a decent season with Paris Saint-Germain and was expected to make the cut. The 28-year-old scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 28 appearances across all competitions this term.
Lautaro Martinez, Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi are the three forwards/strikers who have been called up. Mauro Icardi offers a different kind of threat than all three of those players and it's quite a puzzling decision indeed.
But Icardi has a history of being overlooked by the Argentina national team. He wasn't part of the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup either. His last game for La Albiceleste was an international friendly against Mexico in November 2018.
#1 Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Paulo Dybala arguably had the worst season of his Juventus stint yet under Andrea Pirlo this term. The 27-year-old struggled with injury issues early on in the season and subsequently failed to integrate himself into the side, making just 20 appearances in the Serie A campaign.
Dybala scored four goals and provided three assists but hasn't played on a regular basis. He recently recovered from injury and looked to have rediscovered his form but that hasn't convinced Scaloni. But what's really concerning, with respect to Dybala's place in the squad, is the Argentina coach's comments on his omission. He said:
"He is a player that we always had and we love but the lockers were almost complete and we had to make a decision. He hasn’t been playing the last few months and his club is going through a few problems with the standings and their game.
“It’s important that he joins us with rhythm, we will always have him in mind. Hopefully he’s able to regain his form and that he can play to be able to decide later on.
“You have to put aside the affection and empathy towards the players to put together a list of 23 players. We have to deal with Dybala, who always responded in the best way possible and put in the effort to play in positions that weren’t his. But the team always comes first.”
If that's the case, it is now almost a given that Dybala is set to miss out on the upcoming Copa America as well.
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