Spanish defender Pablo Maffeo get Argentina call-up

In a notable selection move, Argentina's national football team has introduced Mallorca's Spanish defender Pablo Maffeo (26) to the squad for the first time. Born to an Argentine mother, Maffeo joins Olympiakos left-back Francisco Ortega as fresh faces in the lineup for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil. The squad, unveiled by the Argentine Football Association on Friday, features the return of Benfica forward Angel Di Maria, who missed last month's qualifiers due to injury.

Heading into their home game against Uruguay and a subsequent trip to Brazil, Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, aims to maintain their perfect record in the South American qualifiers, currently topping the table with 12 points from four matches. Uruguay, sitting in second place with seven points, shares the spot with Brazil and Venezuela.

The squad comprises a mix of experienced players and promising talents:

Goalkeepers:
- Juan Musso (Atalanta)
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
- Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven)
- Franco Armani (River Plate)

Defenders:
- Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest)
- Pablo Maffeo (Mallorca)
- Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)
- German Pezzella (Real Betis)
- Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina)
- Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
- Marcos Acuna (Sevilla)
- Francisco Ortega (Olympiakos)
- Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon)

Midfielders:
- Leandro Paredes (AS Roma)
- Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
- Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis)
- Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea)
- Exequiel Palacios (Bayern Leverkusen)
- Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)

Forwards:
- Paulo Dybala (AS Roma)
- Angel Di Maria (Benfica)
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
- Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
- Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
- Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)