Zanetti, Cambiasso recalled by Argentina

Argentina's Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso, overlooked by coach Diego Maradona for the World Cup, and playmaker Andres d'Alessandro were recalled to the national team squad on Friday.

Coach Sergio Batista also picked defender Gabriel Milito, another absentee in South Africa, for a September 7 friendly against world champions Spain at River Plate's Monumental stadium.

Inter Milan's Zanetti, a veteran of the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, and Cambiasso, who played in the 2006 finals, were surprise omissions from the squad for South Africa where Argentina were eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals.

Batista, handed the job on an interim basis after Maradona was not retained, otherwise picked players who were in his squad for this month's 1-0 friendly win over Ireland in Dublin.

Zanetti, Argentina's record caps holder with 136, and Cambiasso were overlooked in June, despite having helped Inter win a treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League, along with striker Diego Milito and defender Walter Samuel who did go to South Africa.

Barcelona's Gabriel Milito was also not picked by Maradona despite being a first choice central defender for Argentina in the 2006 finals in Germany and showing good form after returning from a long absence with a knee ligament injury.

The 29-year-old D'Alessandro, who has appeared intermittently for Argentina over the years but never at a World Cup, helped his Brazilian club win the Libertadores Cup this week and is a candidate for South American player of the year.

The only home-based player on Batista's list published on the Argentine Football Association's website (www.afa.org.ar) was third goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin of Lanus.

The match is part of Argentina's bicentennial celebrations.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Agustin Marchesin (Lanus)

Defenders: Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Walter Samuel, Nicolas Burdisso, Javier Zanetti (all Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Gabriel Milito (Barcelona)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Fernando Gago, Angel Di Maria (both Real Madrid), Ever Banega (Valencia), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina), Andres D'Alessandro (Internacional)

Forwards: Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli).