LIONEL MESSI leads Argentina’s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and manager Jorge Sampaoli’s line-up also includes Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala and Sergio Aguero.

However, there’s no place in the team for Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi despite his scoring 29 goals in all competitions this season, though West Ham United playmaker Manuel Lanzini made the cut. River Plate goalkeeper Franco Armani and Boca Juniors midfielder Cristian Pavon are the only players named in the squad who play in their native Argentina.

Icardi had featured in Sampaoli’s provisional squad prior to Monday’s announcement, but with only 23 spots up for grabs, it’s been decided there are other areas of the squad that need greater attention.

The Inter marvel has scored 26 goals or more in three of his last four seasons — he still scored 16 times in only 34 appearances in 2015-16 — but Argentina’s wealth of options has seen him draw the short straw.

England’s Premier League is the most well-represented division in the squad with six players. Aguero and Nicolas Otamendi are based at Manchester City; Lanzini is at West Ham; Willy Caballero plays for Chelsea; while Manchester United fringe players Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo made it despite not featuring much for their club this term.

(SD-Agencies)