On Friday, Argentine national football coach Lionel Scaloni invited Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Lionel Messi to play the world champions' international friendlies against Panama and then Curaçao (in the Caribbean) at the end of March.

Scaloni called up 35 players for the first two meetings after being crowned world champion in the World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year, including the pillars Angel Di Maria (Juventus, Italy), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid, Spain) and Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Italy).

Villarreal midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso returned to the squad after missing the World Cup due to injury.

Argentina will host Panama on March 23 at the "Mas Monumental" stadium in Buenos Aires, then Curaçao on the 28th of it in Santiago del Estero.

Argentina ranks second in the world rankings after Brazil and ahead of France, Panama 61st and Curaçao 86th.

#SelecciónMayor list of convocados for all your friendships in Panama and Curazao 📋🇦🇷

¡Qué placer verte otra vez!

😍 pic.twitter.com/dffcxNtQLY

— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) March 3, 2023

Messi, the winner, did not decide his future with the Argentine national team, but said that he is not likely to continue playing internationally until the next edition of the World Cup, which will be held in 2026 in America, Canada and Mexico.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker told the Argentine sports newspaper "Ole" at the beginning of last month that he would be 39 years old, and this might stand in the way of him participating in the tournament that will be held after 3 years.

Messi added, "I don't know, I've always said that because of my age, I think it's very difficult for me to be there."

But this summons (which was certainly done in coordination with the player) means that Scaloni may convince him to continue leading the tango until the next World Cup, given his leadership role in the team and his scoring and making most of the goals, as he ranked second in the list of top scorers in the Qatar World Cup with 7 goals behind the top scorer. The French championship, Kylian Mbappe, with one goal.

Lionel Messi and the 2022 World Cup 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/geELejkMxk

- Messi World (@M10GOAT) January 25, 2023

The following is a list of players that the coach called up to represent Argentina:

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Geronimo Roli (Ajax Amsterdam), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, England).

Defenders: Juan Foyth (Villarreal, Spain), Goncalo Montiel (Sevilla, Spain), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Nehuen Pires (Udinese, Italy), German Pesella (Real Betis, Spain), Christian Romero (Tottenham, England), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica). Portuguese), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United, England), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon, France).

Midfield: Marcos Acuña (Seville), Lautaro Blanco (Elche, Italy), Leandro Paredes (Juventus), Guido Rodrigues (Real Betis), Enso Fernandy (Chelsea), Maximo Peroni (Manchester City), Esequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), Facundo Buonanotte and Alexis McAllister (Brighton, England), Thiago Almada (Atalanta United, USA), Giovanni Lo Celso (Villarreal, Spain).

Forwards: Angel Di Maria (Juventus), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa), Valentin Carbone (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), Paulo Dybala (Roma), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) Julian Alvarez (Manchester City), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Nicholas Gonzales (Fiorentina), Alejandro Gomes (Sevilla).