Carlos Tevez dropped from Argentina squad for World Cup qualifiers

Carlos Tevez has been dropped from Argentina's squad for this month's 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The former Manchester United, Manchester City and West Ham forward misses out on the 29-man squad following Boca Juniors' poor start to the league campaign, which sees them sitting sixth in Primera Division Group B.

Tevez had told La Nacion before the announcement: "If [manager Gerardo] Martino doesn't call me up I'm not going to be angry because I must improve my game to earn it."

Lionel Messi will lead Argentina away to Copa America holders Chile in Santiago on March 24 and at home to Bolivia in Cordoba five days later.

Captain Messi suffered a knee ligament injury early in the season and missed his country's faltering start in the first four qualifiers for the tournament to be played in Russia.

Argentina, finalists in Brazil in 2014, began the 10-nation, 18-match South American group with a 2-0 home loss to Ecuador followed by a 0-0 draw in Paraguay in October.

They recovered with a 1-1 draw at home to Brazil and a 1-0 win in Colombia in November and are in sixth place with five points, seven adrift of leaders Ecuador.