Lionel Messi will be in contention to start for 2022 World Cup winners Argentina when they play host to Panama in Buenos Aires on Friday in their first fixture since the tournament in Qatar.

The 35-year-old further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time after leading La Albiceleste to their first World Cup triumph in 36 years, beating France on penalties in the final at the end of last year.

Messi, who scored seven goals in as many games in Qatar and was named Player of the Tournament, ruled out the possibility of international retirement shortly after lifting the biggest prize in football and the 172-cap forward has since been selected in Lionel Scaloni's 34-man squad for this month's international break.

The Paris Saint-Germain star, who is just two strikes away from reaching the 100-goal milestone at international level, is in line to start as captain on Friday, with Angel di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez and Paulo Dybala also looking to force their way into the first XI.

Experience defender Nicolas Otamendi, who won his 100th cap for Argentina in the World Cup final, could keep his place at centre-back alongside either Lisandro Martinez or Cristian Romero, protecting first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez between the sticks.

Left-back Lautaro Blanco is one of four uncapped players – along with midfield trio Maximo Perrone, Facundo Buonanotte and Valentin Carboni – to have been selected in Scaloni's senior squad, and the quartet will be hoping to make their international debut against Panama.

Blanco is set to push Marcos Acuna and Nicolas Tagliafico for the left-back spot, while Perrone, Buonanotte and Carboni may have to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench to begin with, considering the plethora of central midfield options at Scaloni's disposal.

Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister all started in the World Cup final and could retain their places on Friday, although the likes of Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso, Guido Rodriguez and Exequiel Palacios will also be pushing to start.

Argentina possible starting lineup: E.Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Li.Martinez, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez, Di Maria body check tags ::