Maradona omits Zanetti and Cambiasso

Inter Milan pair Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso will not feature at the 2010 World Cup after they were left out of coach Diego Maradona’s provisional 30-man squad on Wednesday.

Right-back Zanetti and holding midfielder Cambiasso have played key roles in Inter’s run to the Champions League final this season and both have been important figures for Argentina in the past.

Former captain Zanetti has won 136 caps, while 44-cap Cambiasso scored a memorable goal for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago, Barcelona centre-back Gabriel Milito and Marseille playmaker Lucho Gonzalez were also overlooked, but the squad remains full of talent, including current European Player of the Year Lionel Messi and Gago’s Real team-mate Gonzalo Higuain.

Newcastle United, recently promoted to the English Premier League, have two representatives in Fabio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez.

Colon defender Ariel Garca, Juan Manuel Insaurralde of Newell’s Old Boys and Lanus midfielder Sebastian Blanco were the surprise inclusions.

Maradona will have to trim his squad to 23 players by June 1.

Two-time champions Argentina were drawn alongside Nigeria, Greece and South Korea in Group B and begin their campaign against the African side on June 12.

Provisional 30-man Argentina World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar/NED), Mariano Andujar (Catania/ITA), Diego Pozo (Colon)

Defenders: Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich/GER), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan/ITA), Gabriel Heinze (Marseille/FRA), Nicolas Burdisso (AS Roma/ITA), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes), Juan Manuel Insaurralde (Newell’s Old Boys), Ariel Garce (Colon), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle/ENG)

Midfielders: Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle/ENG), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Liverpool/ENG), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool/ENG), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes), Jose Sosa (Estudiantes), Angel Di Maria (Benfica/POR), Juan Mercier (Argentinos Juniors), Javier Pastore (Palermo/ITA), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina/ITA), Jesus Datolo (Olympiakos/GRE), Sebastian Blanco (Lanus)

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ESP), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid/ESP), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Diego Milito (Inter Milan/ITA), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City/ENG), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli/ITA)