Argentina name Messi and Tevez for Swiss friendly

BUENOS AIRES, May 19 (Reuters) Strikers Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez were included on Friday in a 20-man Argentina squad for a friendly international against Switzerland on June 2.

Coach Alfio Basile picked the core of Argentina's 2006 World Cup side for the friendly in Berne which he hopes will be the first of two on tour with a rival yet to be named for June 6.

Defenders Roberto Ayala and Gabriel Heinze, midfielders Lucho Gonzalez, Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano and strikers Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola were also chosen.

''It's great how well the kids are playing,'' Basile said of young strikers Messi of Barcelona and Tevez, whose goals helped West Ham United stave off relegation, before leaving for Europe where all 20 of his squad play their club football.

''When we played against France we had Saviola at his best.

Now we have Crespo, Messi and Tevez,'' he said.

Messi and Tevez missed Argentina's 1-0 win over France in Paris in February, in which Saviola scored, while Crespo has been in fine scoring form for Inter.

Midfielder Mascherano is back after missing the France game having just joined Liverpool from West Ham, where he saw little action. He has since helped Liverpool reach the Champions League final.

There are two newcomers among the 20, Nuremberg defender Javier Pinola and Racing Santander midfielder Ezequiel Garay.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madrid) Defenders: Roberto Ayala (Valencia), Gabriel Milito (Real Zaragoza), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United), Javier Pinola (Nuremberg) Midfielders: Pablo Aimar (Real Zaragoza), Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti (both Inter Milan), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Luis Gonzalez (Porto), Jonas Gutierrez (Real Mallorca), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Ezequiel Garay (Racing Santander) Forwards: Carlos Tevez (West Ham United), Diego Milito (Real Zaragoza), Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan), Javier Saviola, Lionel Messi (both Barcelona).

REUTERS SAM HT1617