Di Maria and Dybala reunited with Messi for the Brazil game

A real South American treat awaits us this coming weekend. In the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, the world champions Argentina first play against Uruguay at the Bombonera (November 17), and then against their biggest rival Brazil at the Maracana (November 22). For these games, Lionel Scaloni announced a list of 28 players, on which there are some surprises, as well as returnees to the national team.

The first thing that catches the eye are debutants Pablo Maffeo (26) and Francisco Ortega (26). This first player is a right back, was born in Catalonia, studied in Espanyol and as a great talent moved to Manchester City as a teenager. He later wore the jersey of Stuttgart and Girona. Now he is in Mallorca, where he has a good season. His mother is Argentinian, so through her he managed to get the necessary papers and permission from FIFA to change the federation. Maffeo played for all junior teams of the Red Fury, but he did not play a single minute in the A team. Lionel Messi once said about him that he was his toughest rival. It was during the period when he was defending the colors of Girona.

Francisco Ortega is two years younger, the left back of Olympiakos. He played for the U20 and U23 selection of Argentina. This will be his unique chance to prove himself to Scaloni, as Marcos Acuña is not 100 percent fit. The injured Juan Foyt is not on the list, nor are the younger players - Alejandro Garnacho and Tiago Almada. Finally fully healthy, Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala were called up again.

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Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Franco Armani (River Plate), Juan Musso (Atalanta) and Walter Benitez (PSV).

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Pablo Maffeo (Mallorca), Nahuel Molina (Atlético de Madrid), Germán Pezzella (Real Betis), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Marcos Acuña (Seville), Francisco Ortega (Olympiacos) and Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon).

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético de Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham) and Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) .

Forwards: Paulo Dybala (Roma), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Juliá Álvarez (Manchester City), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Nicolás González (Fiorentina), Ángel Di María (Benfica) and Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla).