Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has resisted the pressure to include Juventus star Carlos Tevez in his provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 World Cup.

The former Premier League star continues to miss out despite an impressive season at club level, but Manchester City’s Martin Demichelis has surprisingly received a call-up.

Demichelis, 33, returns to the national team after two and a half years, having last featured for los Albicelestes in November 2011.

Star players Leo Messi, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain are all in the squad, but Gabriel Mercado, Franco Di Santo and Fabian Rinaudo are the surprise selections.

The squad features quite a few players from Argentine elite division, with Fernando Gago, Ever Banega and Maxi Rodriguez the most notable players.

Alejandro Sabella has opted to stick with the same group that featured in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, in spite of the public pressure to include some household names.

Having been placed in the same group as Bosnia, Nigeria and Iran, los Albicelestes have been made 1.25 (1/4) favourites to win Group F, while they are priced at 6.00 (5/1) to go all the way.

Argentina squad:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Monaco), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors).

Defenders: Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Federico Fernandez (Napoli), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Jose Basanta (Monterrey), Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan), Nicolas Otamendi (Atletico Mineiro), Lisandro Lopez (Getafe), Gabriel Mercado (River Plate), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Ever Banega (Newell’s Old Boys), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Maxi Rodriguez (Newell’s Old Boys), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan), Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo), Jose Sosa (Atletico Madrid), Enzo Perez (Benfica), Fabian Rinaudo (Catania).

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris St Germain), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan), Franco Di Santo (Werder Bremen).