Football: Messi in Argentina squad to play Singapore, Aguero and Zabaleta dropped
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi smiles during the Spanish league football match UD Las Palmas vs FC Barcelona at the Gran Canaria stadium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on May 14, 2017.
PHOTO: AFP
Wang Meng Meng
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SINGAPORE - Lionel Messi has been called up to the Argentina squad to face Singapore in a football friendly at the National Stadium on June 13.
The Barcelona superstar, who is his country's leading scorer with 58 goals in 117 international appearances, will be part of a 20-man squad for the Albiceleste's tour of Australia.
They will take on arch-rivals Brazil on June 9 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before meeting the Lions four days later.
Also named in a strong line-up are forwards Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain), Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain (both Juventus). The 1978 and 1986 World Cup winners are set to be coached by Jorge Sampaoli, who is still currently coaching Spanish club Sevilla.
But there is no place for Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta, who are both dropped.
Argentina, the 1978 and 1986 World Cup winners, are currently second in Fifa's world rankings while Singapore are 160th.
Tickets to the Singapore-Argentina match are available at sportshubtix.sg.
Argentina squad
Goalkeepers
Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Nahuel Guzman (UANL, Mexico), Geronimo Rulli (Real Sociedad)
Defenders
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Emmanuel Mammana (Lyon), Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla)
Midfielders
Eduardo Salvio (Benfia), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Ever Banega (Inter Milan), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Leandro Paredes (Roma), Guido Rodriguez (Tijuana, Mexico)
Forwards
Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Joaquin Correa (Sevilla), Alejandro Gomez (Atalanta), Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan), Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain), Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus)
