Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero have been named in Argentina's starting XI as Jorge Sampaoli's charges get their 2018 World Cup campaign underway against tournament debutants Iceland.

Sampaoli announced his starting lineup on Friday, with Messi, Angel Di Maria and Maximiliano Meza operating just behind the Manchester City striker.

Aguero's club teammate Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester United centre-back Marcos Rojo feature in the middle of defence, while Chelsea's Willy Caballero starts between the sticks.

For Iceland, talismanic midfielder Aron Gunnarsson has been declared fit to start for their first ever World Cup match despite having carried a knock during the buildup.

Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson, top scorer during Iceland's qualification bid, will sit just behind forward man Alfred Finnbogason.

In midfield, Aston Villa's Birkir Bjarnason is to feature on the left, leaving Burnley's Johann Berg Gudmundsson on the right flank.

Argentina: Caballero; Salvio, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico; Biglia, Mascherano; Meza, Messi, Di Maria; Aguero

Iceland: Halldorsson; Magnusson, Sigurdsson, Arnason, Saevarsson; Bjarnason, Hallfredsson, Gunnarsson, Gudmundsson; Finnbogason, Sigurdsson

Follow all the action from the Otkrytiye Arena with Sports Mole's live match commentary.

Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte