Argentina celebrates its World Cup victory with friendly matches against Panama and Curacao
The young Spanish-Argentinian attacker was called up for the first time to the senior Argentina national team
Argentina will celebrate their World Cup victory in their home with friendly matches against Panama and Curacao in the coming weeks, with star Lionel Messi among the called-up players and young Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) in the squad, reported the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
After confirming a few days ago the renewal of Lionel Scaloni's contract as coach of the Argentina national team, the Argentine team will play two friendlies to celebrate the title win.
The first one will be against Panama on March 23rd in Buenos Aires, and five days later against Curacao in Santiago del Estero.
The championship-winning team returned to Argentina after winning the title at the end of December, and was received in the streets by millions of people in a parade that could not be completed because the crowd exceeded all expectations.
For these matches, the first ones on Argentine soil since March of last year, Scaloni called up the same 26 players who participated in the World Cup triumph, Argentina's third World Cup that Argentina won after a 36-year wait.
But several players who did not make it to the final squad were also called up, such as Giovani Lo Celso, who was injured a few weeks before the World Cup, and Nicolás González, who was also unavailable due to physical problems.
In addition, with an eye on the upcoming competitions, Scaloni called up some promising young players, including 18-year-old forward Alejandro Garnacho, who in recent months has established himself as a reference at Manchester United.
Garnacho was born in Spain, but his mother is Argentine, which is why he has the possibility of playing for the world champion national team.
In fact, Garnacho recently celebrated his first title wrapped in the sky-blue and white flag after winning the English League Cup, and he has already participated in a youth tournament and training sessions with the senior national team, but this call-up could mean his first matches in Argentina.
Others called up by Scaloni are defender Nehuén Pérez, midfielders Máximo Perrone and Facundo Buonanotte, and Lautaro Blanco, a 24-year-old Elche full-back who receives his first call-up.
List of called-up players:
