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Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain not in first Argentina squad post-Jorge Sampaoli

Italian-based strikers Lautaro Martinez and Giovanni Simeone are among the 20 new faces in Argentina's squad for upcoming friendlies against Guatemala and Colombia, while Lionel Messi was not included as expected.

Messi was left out after requesting an unspecified time out from international duty following Argentina's disappointing World Cup campaign, after which coach Jorge Sampaoli left his post.

Martinez, who joined Inter Milan from Racing earlier this summer, and Simeone, the Spain-born striker who plays for Fiorentina, are included up front alongside Paolo Dybala, Angel Correa and Cristian Pavon.

There is also a return for Mauro Icardi, the Inter striker who like Martinez was surprisingly left out of Argentina's World Cup squad, but there is no place for Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero or Angel Di Maria in the first squad picked by interim coach Lionel Scaloni.