Argentina Predicted XI against Panama | International friendly

Argentina return to action for the first time since being crowned world champions as they take on Panama in an international friendly.

Lionel Messi's heroics fired Argentina to World Cup glory for the first time in 36 years. La Albiceleste overcame the challenge posed by France in the final by beating them on penalties. Although Messi was the star of the show, it has to be said that the triumph was the result of a collective effort from the squad.

Argentina have conceded just a single loss in their past 44 international matches. It was a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia in their 2022 FIFA World Cup opener.

After their strong recovery post that loss, Lionel Scaloni's men will be feeling confident of kickstarting 2023 with a win over relatively weaker opposition in Panama.

Panama have named a relatively inexperienced 20-man squad for their game against Argentina as they seem to be more focused on their clash with Costa Rica next week.

Without further ado, let's take a look at how Argentina could line up against Panama.

Argentina Goalkeeper - Emiliano Martinez

Argentina v France: Final - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Emiliano Martinez was immense for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was one of their standout performers and earned the Golden Gloves for his efforts. He will reprise his role between the sticks for Argentina as they take on Panama.

Right-back - Nahuel Molina

The Atletico Madrid man cemented his place as a starter over the course of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He came up with important contributions in the tournament, including a crucial goal against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.

Centre-back - Nicolas Otamendi

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Veteran centre-back Nicolas Otamendi hit 100 appearances for the Argentinian national team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final against France. He will lead the backline against Panama.

Centre-back - Lisandro Martinez

Scaloni has preferred partnering Otamendi with Cristian Romero in the past. But Lisandro Martinez has proved over the course of the 2022-23 season that he is a superior defender in almost every respect.

Left-back - Marcos Acuna

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Marcos Acuna is likely to get the nod for the game against Panama. He did a decent job at the World Cup, but he'll be wary of the competition for a starting spot.

Central midfielder - Rodrigo De Paul

Rodrigo De Paul has endured a difficult time with Atletico Madrid this season and his relationship with coach Diego Simeone has become strained. But De Paul is a different beast when he plays for La Albiceleste and he will be glad to wear the white and blue kit once again alongside his compatriots.

Central midfielder - Enzo Fernandez

Enzo Fernandez was the breakout star of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. His stock has only risen since the tournament and Fernandez copped a high-profile transfer to Chelsea in the January transfer window.

The all-action midfielder's work-rate and excellent technical qualities are likely to make him a mainstay in the Argentinian lineup for the foreseeable future.

Central midfielder - Alexis Mac Allister

Alexis Mac Allister is yet another player who grabbed the opportunities he was afforded at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with both hands. Mac Allister was immense against France in the final and his inclusion will make Argentina's midfield as tenacious and rowdy as any you can find.

Right-winger - Lionel Messi

Argentina v Saudi Arabia: Group C - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

The question on everyone's minds as Argentina return to action is whether Lionel Messi will start the game. The Golden Ball winner at the 2022 FIFA World Cup is likely to be deployed on the right wing from the get go.

Centre-forward - Julian Alvarez

Julian Alvarez is another youngster who stepped up for Argentina in Qatar. He is already a fan-favorite and is likely to spearhead their attack against Panama.

Left-winger - Angel Di Maria

With goals in the finals of the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Angel Di Maria has now attained legendary status on the international circuit. He will receive a huge ovation just like Messi as he walks out onto the pitch against Panama.

About the author

Shambhu is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda who focuses on previews, listicles and news articles. An ardent Manchester United supporter since before his teenage years, he started following the Red Devils by age 10 watching MUTV on television. Shambhu is also a highly-revered rapper and a playback singer on Spotify, having a whopping 1 million monthly listeners.

For his articles, Shambhu believes in triple-checking every piece of information, relying on trusted websites like Transfermarkt and Opta, and staying away from speculative publications. He believes that his law degree helped him to be more articulate and meticulous with his content and one of his core strengths is seamlessly involving emotion in his write-ups owing to the love for the sport. For Sportskeeda, has done exclusive interviews with Spanish legends Gaizka Mendieta and Fernando Morientes so far, and his articles boast of a huge readership of close to 50 million.

Shambhu's favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and the Argentine attaining glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment. He believes only Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland could replicate Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's rivalry in the years to come. His favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson due to the Scot's unmatched longevity at the top.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith