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Argentina's national team coach Jose Pekerman announced the final squad for the World Cup that does not include former Argentina national team captain Javier Zanetti and Walter Samuel, midfielders Juan Veron and Martin Demichelis, and defender Gabriel Heinze, who has been out the whole season due to a knee injury, should travel to Germany. J. Pekerman also invited recently recovered Valencia midfielder Pablo Aimar and forward Javier Saviola, who is regaining his best form after two average years of play. The team includes many players who won the World Youth Championship last year - 19-year-old goalkeeper Oscar Ustari was invited, while his 17-year-old friend Sergio Aguero, who plays for "Independiente" club and is considered to be one of the most promising players in the country, has not yet earned a spot. However, the most unexpected decision was the omission of 32-year-old Inter Milan defender J. Zanetti. J. Zanetti played at the World Cups in 1998 and 2002 as well as in many qualifying matches for the 2006 tournament, but he found out this week that his place would be taken by Lionel Scaloni, who represents West Ham. Meanwhile, another Inter defender Nicolas Burdisso was invited to the team in place of his teammate Walter Samuel. Zanetti told journalists that he already knew he wouldn't be going to the World Cup this year, but no one told him why. "Last week I already knew I wouldn't be going to the World Cup, but no one told me what I did wrong not to deserve it," Zanetti said sadly. J. Pekerman also decided to take a risk by selecting Gabriel Heinze, who has not played since last September, and another defender Roberto Ayala, who recovered from a knee injury. Another surprise was the invitation of forwards Rodrigo Palacio from Boca Juniors and Julio Cruz from Inter. As expected, there was no place in the team for midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Martin Demichelis. "We respect the players. Of course, making such decisions is painful, because it will never be possible to explain it logically. I trust this team. This is a high-level team with the desire and hunger to bring some joy back to the country. I hope everyone will support this group that I trust," said J. Pekerman. In their final friendly match, Argentina will face Angola in Naples on May 30, and their first World Cup match will be against the finalist of the African Nations Cup, Ivory Coast, on June 10. The other opponents in Group C will be the national teams of the Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro. Argentina's national team composition: Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico, Spain), Oscar Ustari (Independiente); Defenders: Roberto Ayala (Valencia, Spain), Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United, England), Juan Pablo Sorin (Villareal, Spain), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo, Spain), Gabriel Milito (Zaragona, Spain), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter, Italy), Leandro Cufre (Roma, Italy), Lionel Scaloni (West Ham, England) Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Corinthians, Brazil), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter, Italy), Luis Gonzalez (Porto, Portugal), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villareal, Spain), Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Pablo Aimar (Valencia, Spain) Forwards: Hernan Crespo (Chelsea, England), Carlos Tevez (Corinthians, Brazil), Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain), Javier Saviola (Sevilla, Spain), Julio Cruz (Inter, Italy), Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors, Argentina)
