Argentina announce squad for November international break

Argentina play Uruguay and Brazil

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has named the national squad for the November international break matches against Uruguay and Brazil. The World champions are set to play their fifth and sixth qualifier match for the next tournament.

Argentina have called up Mallorca's Spanish defender Pablo Maffeo for the first time ahead of this month's World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil in the squad announced by its FA on Friday.

The 26-year-old Maffeo, born to an Argentine mother, is joined by Olympiakos left-back Francisco Ortega as newcomers for the World Cup champions' home game against Uruguay on Thursday and their trip to Brazil five days later.

The team led by captain and eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi includes Benfica forward Angel Di Maria after missing last month's qualifiers due to injury.

Argentina are leader in the South American qualifiers with 12 points after a perfect run in four matches. Uruguay are second with seven points, level with third-placed Brazil and fourth-placed Venezuela.

Argentina squad November break

Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), and Juan Musso (Atalanta).

Defenders: Pablo Maffeo (Mallorca), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Germán Pezzella (Real Betis), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Marcus Acuna (Sevilla)

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

Forwards: Julián Álvarez (Manchester City), Paulo Dybala (AS Roma), Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina), Ángel Di Maria (Benfica), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)