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BUENOS AIRES, June 18 (Reuters) - Argentina decided to rest their top players for next month's Copa America but still announced a formidable squad on Monday. Strikers Hernan Crespo and Gabriel Batistuta, midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron, Diego Simeone and Kily Gonzalez, and defenders Walter Samuel and Roberto Ayala - all regulars in their World Cup qualifying campaign - were left out for the tournament in Colombia.

But the squad named by coach Marcelo Bielsa still looked strong enough to challenge for the title with experienced players such as midfielders Javier Zanetti, Pablo Aimar and Ariel Ortega, and striker Claudio Lopez all included.

Argentina declined to take full-strength teams to the previous two Copa Americas and lost at the quarter-final stage both times. They last won the tournament in Ecuador in 1993. Bielsa was not available for comment and the squad was announced in a news release by the Argentine Football Association (AFA).

Squad:

Goalkeepers
Roberto Bonano (River Plate), Pablo Cavallero (Celta Vigo)
Defenders
Facundo Quiroga (Napoli), Roberto Sensini (Parma), Eduardo Berizzo (Celta Vigo), Mauricio Pochettino (Paris St Germain), Diego Placente (Bayer Leverkusen), Nelson Vivas (Inter Milan).
Midfielders
Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Matias Almeyda (Parma), Claudio Husain (Napoli), Pablo Aimar (Valencia), Santiago Solari (Real Madrid), Esteban Cambiasso (Independiente), Marcelo Gallardo (Monaco)
Forwards
Julio Cruz (Bologna), Claudio Lopez (Valencia), Luciano Galletti (Estudiantes), Ariel Ortega (River Plate).