The Argentinian national team is gearing up for one of their final challenges ahead of their Copa America title defense. Coach Lionel Scaloni has unveiled the roster for two friendly matches scheduled at the end of March against El Salvador on March 22 and Costa Rica on March 26, with the inclusion of newcomer Valentin Barco making headlines.

Barco’s recent debut for Brighton in a FA Cup loss to Wolves came as a surprise, particularly after coach Roberto De Zerbi had expressed earlier reservations about the 19-year-old full-back’s readiness to play. Despite this, Barco’s impressive year at Boca Juniors, where he featured prominently until the Copa Libertadores final against Fluminense, earned him a call-up for the Olympic qualifiers in Venezuela, where he also represented Argentina in the U20 World Cup in 2023. 

In Venezuela, Barco made five appearances, solidifying his position as the first-choice left-back and played a crucial role in Argentina’s qualification for the Olympics, assisting Luciano Gondou for the decisive goal against Brazil. Notable omissions from the squad include world champion Marcos Acuna, Gᴜιdo Rodriguez (injured), Geronimo Rulli (no longer with Ajax), and Gonzalo Montiel (recovering from ιnjᴜry). Leading Argentina’s attacking line is Lionel Messi, alongside Julian Alvarez and Serie A’s in-form strikers Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala. In a recent development, Coach Scaloni opted to call up Lisandro Martinez, a world champion recovering from a knee ιnjᴜry at MU, to bolster the defense following the absence of Marcos Senesi (with Nicolas Valentini named as his replacement).