Alejandro Garnacho joins Lionel Messi in Argentina squad for upcoming friendlies as Man Utd winger is rewarded for stellar performances under Erik ten Hag

China's decision to close its doors to the Argentine National Team following controversy surrounding Messi's absence from an Inter Miami fixture in Hong Kong led to the cancellation of two scheduled friendly matches against Ivory Coast and Nigeria. However, the United States has stepped in to host Argentina, offering an opportunity for Scaloni's side to continue their preparations on American soil ahead of the 2024 Copa America.

Argentina's itinerary includes two friendlies in March. The first match will see them face El Salvador at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on March 22. Four days later, they will take on Costa Rica at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on March 26. However, Messi's international duties mean he will miss Inter Miami's clash against the New York Red Bulls on March 23 at Red Bull Arena.

Garnacho has been in inspirational form for Manchester United in February which led Scaloni to call him for the next set of friendlies. He scored a brace against West Ham in a 3-0 win and also set up Rasmus Hojlund against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road to churn out a narrow 2-1 win victory. In addition to Garnacho's call-up, Scaloni has also included Valentín Barco and Facundo Buonanotte of Brighton in the squad, further diversifying the team's talent pool and providing opportunities for emerging players to showcase their abilities on the international stage. Meanwhile, experienced campaigners like Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister, Manchester City's Julian Alvarez and Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez will also cross the Atlantic to join their national teammates.

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani, Walter Benítez, Emiliano Martínez

Defenders: German Pezzella, Nehuen Pérez, Nicolas Otamendi Cristian Romero, Nicolás Tagliafico Marcos Senesi, Nahuel Molina, Valentín Barco

Midfielders: Ezequiel Palacios, Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Giovani Lo Celso , Nicolás Gonzalez, Facundo Buonanotte

Forwards: Alejandro Garnacho, Valentín Carboni, Angel Di María, Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martínez, Paulo Dybala

As Argentina gears up to defend their Copa America title, the March friendlies offer a valuable opportunity for Scaloni to assess his squad, fine-tune tactics, and build cohesion ahead of the prestigious tournament. And needless to say, the spotlight will be on their 36-year-old skipper - Messi.