The coach for Argentina’s national soccer team, Gerardo Martino, announced on Friday the list of 23 soccer players that will participate in the 2016 Centennial Copa America which will take place in the United States between June 3 and 26.
Included in the team list were Barcelona (Spain) star Lionel Messi and Hebei Fortune (China) forward Ezequiel Lavezzi. Boca Juniors (Argentina) forward Carlos Tevez was not among the 23.
Martino gave priority to forwards Gonzalo Higuain, goalscorer for Napoli (Italy), and Sergio Aguero, who plays for Manchester City, (England) instead of Tevez, who returned to the national team in 2014.
Defender for Argentina’s Independiente, Victor Cuesta also made the final cut making it his first time in the national team.
Argentina, who have not won an official title in the competition since 1993, will form part of Group D alongside Bolivia, Panama and Chile. Their first match will be on June 6 in the city of San Francisco.
Copa America Centenario Squads: Argentina
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Nahuel Guzman (UANL Tigres), Mariano Andujar (Estudiantes)
Defenders: Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Victor Cuesta (Independiente), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), Facundo Roncaglia (Fiorentina), Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton), Gabriel Mercado, Jonathan Maidana (both River Plate),
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Matias Kranevitter, Augusto Fernandez (both Atletico Madrid), Ever Banega (Sevilla), Angel Di Maria, Javier Pastore (both Paris St Germain), Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Hebei Fortune), Nicolas Gaitan (Benfica)