Reason behind Luka Romero, Matias Soule, Alejandro Garnacho called to Argentina team

By
Roy Nemer
-
15

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni called up 44 players to the preliminary team for the March World Cup qualifiers and the reason behind it has been revealed.

Of those 44 players, three of them are 18 year old players with four of them being 17 year old players. While there are some more popular players who have been linked with the national team such as Luka Romero of Lazio and MAtias Soule of Juventus, according to TyC Sports, there is a reason why Scaloni has decided to call up that many youngster.

Here is the full list of young players that have been included in the team:

Luka Romero (17 years old. Lazio)
Matias Soulé (18 years old, Juventus)
Franco Carboni (18 years old, Inter)
Valentin Carboni (17 years old, Inter)
Alejandro Garnacho (17 years old, Manchester United)
Nicolás Paz (17 years old, Real Madrid)
Tiago Geralnik (18 year old, Villarreal)

Only Matias Soule had previously been called up to the Argentina national team. According to TyC Sports, the AFA could have a few friendly matches for the Argentina U20 team during the international fixtures. This would give coach Javier Mascherano the chance to have those players with the team.

This would also give the young players a chance to train with the senior Argentina national team. Argentina play Venezuela and Ecuador in the March World Cup qualifiers. Here is the full list of players that have been called up:

Goalkeepers:
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
Esteban Andrada (Monterrey)
Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal)

Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla)
Nahuel Molina (Udinese)
Juan Foyth (Villarreal)
Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Germán Pezella (Real Betis)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lisandro Martínez (Ajax)
Nehuén Pérez (Udinese)
Nicolás Tagliafico (Ajax)
Marcos Acuña (Sevilla)

Midfielders:
Franco Carboni (Inter)
Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain)
Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis)
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United)
Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal)
Roberto Pereyra (Udinese)
Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa)
Alejandro Papu Gómez (Sevilla)
Nicolás Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)
Nicolás Paz (Real Betis)
Tiago Geralnik (Villarreal)
Valentin Carboni (Inter)

Forwards:
Ángel Di María (Paris Saint-Germain)
Luka Romero (Lazio)
Matias Soulé (Juventus)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
Ángel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Julián Álvarez (River Plate)
Giovanni Simeone (Verona)
Lucas Boyé (Elche)

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15 Comments

  1. Btw, these 2 remaining games might be the last time we’d see Messi playing in qualifier. You’ll never know his decision after Qatar.

    Luka hasnt been playing in Lazio other than early parts of the season, perhaps he’d get more minutes at Lazio if he makes good impression in qualifier.

  3. I hope Mascherano will take the U20 seriously, this is our best chance to win it after so long. According to wiki, the next WC 2020 will be in May 2023, which is about a year from now. All the players called up today should all be eligible to play.

  4. I don’t remember that much long term strategic thinking on part of AFA. Also, continuity across generations that flows out of the coaching staff (Scaloni, Ayala, Samuel Aimar and now Kun) to newly appointed Mascherano and all the youngsters that are rumored to be called up. Hats off and way to go!

  5. The Benitez and Senesi exclusions seem very controversial and here is my take. I think Benitez absolutely is at the level to play for us and based on footballing merit deserves to do so, but at the end of the day it does not concern or anger me as much as other people because we already have Martinez, Musso, and even Rulli who gets called up by Scaloni at intervals. At the end of the day neither Armani nor Andrada will play and Scaloni probably sees benefits in the locker room from having them as opposed to Benitez who made remarks that may not have sat well with him in the past. I think Scaloni doesn’t want to call up any new players before the world cup to keep things regular with the obvious exception of the youngsters who are just being called up to be scouted and get experience. Senesi is much more puzzling and concerning to me than Benitez (who’s exclusion may well make absolutely no difference this year) because center back is an area we have had problems with in the past. It is also odd that he calls up Nehuen Perez who is still very raw and if called upon to play will not be near as good as Senesi in the present.

  6. The Carboni brothers are out and out Argentines. Their father spent most of his playing time in Italy. They came through Lanus Youth set up and followed Carboni to Italy again as took up job again in Italy. Italy has no business stealing them.
    Nicolas Paz is also out and out Argentine. His father was a very good defender and spent many years in Spain and was part of the 98 WC squad.
    Luka Romero is also an Argentine. His father was former footballer Seba Romero. He was born in Mexico and nothing else. Spain, though have no business stealing him.
    There’s no question about Geralnik and Soule. Both fully Argentine.
    The only player in this list that Argentina can pluck from the hands of Spain is Alejandro Garnacho. His mother is Argentine.
    I am super happy with how AFA is sourcing players and turning the tables or giving a taste of their own medicines to Spain and Italy in particular.
    Remember, how Germany got Mateo Klimowicz and Mexico seba Gimenez recently even both are sons of former Argentine footballers.
    For me Paz is the find of this particular bunch. Extremely talented midfielder. The unknown gem as far as we fans are concerned.
    Valentin Carboni is perhaps the second most talented of the above.
    I hope Mascherano gets them all to play for the u20s.
    Among the players from the local league, Enzo Fernandez’s stock is rising all the time. Getting better and better. And Santi Simon is not far behind.
    Also, keep an eye on Nico Castro of Newell’s. European teams are closely monitoring him.
    I

    • I guess there may be an outside chance that other countries will go for the ones you mentioned (I suppose after what happened with Camoranesi and Trezeguet) but the truth is Garnacho is the one that will need the most effort and is by far the most likely to play for Spain. Nico Castro scored a great goal yesterday
      youtu.be/8dN4hL3SQjk

    • Who are this biggest local talents in this 2003+ category? I know Barco, Encinas from River a classic enganche and Infantino from U15 NT. Plus two strikers Castro from Velez and Hausch from San Lorenzo got a lot of hypes earlier. Ive heard about Rosario midfielders Buonanotte and Tanlongo too but dont know much about them.

      • Ignacio Puch, Atletico Tucuman striker, who has been called up by Mascherano and Rosario Central’s Infantino are players, who are highly regarded.
        Redondo’s son Federico Redondo has also been called up.
        interestingly, Simeone’s 18 year old son, has not been called. in fact, he was rumored to be included in the Atletico senior squad, but nothing has happened. Simeone’s jinx on Argentine players has worked its magic on his son too!!

      • I don’t know, I saw a picture of him when he was young with a Argentinian shirt on which I know sounds silly as proof but I don’t think that the passion of having immediate Argentine roots is something that wears off easily. For example I was born in the US with one Argentine parent and would absolutely play for Argentina if I could.

        The talents you mentioned are most of the ones I know about. Barco seems incredible but gets way too much press and I think it could affect his development. Galarza is a 2002 talent but still absolutely deserves attention, he is one of my favorite new talents. I would take a serious look at Bruno Zapelli as well. Apparently there is a good young striker in Racing Gonzalo Sosa who may be 16/17 now. A player that hasn’t gotten mentioned on this site yet is a young player Santiago Lopez who almost a month ago got a professional contract with Independiente at the age of 16. He has a release clause of 15 million. I think he is a second striker or attacking midfielder.

  7. The real reason most of these guys were called up is because they can play for multiple countries and Argentina wants them to play for us! AFA is hoping that Practicing with Messi and co. Will insure that these youngsters will choose the albiceleste instead of Italy or spain…..

  8. Just watched some clips of alejandro garnacho.. I think he is Super talanted.super speedy,good dribbling skill,good hight..In future He is good option for left side attack even now!.Argentina should do everything to gets him

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