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Internazionale defender Ivan Cordoba has been recalled by Colombia after a two-year absence.

Cordoba, included in the squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Peru, last played for Colombia at the 2007 Copa America when they were knocked out in the first round after shipping nine goals in three games.

Cordoba later publicly fell out with coach Jorge Luis Pinto, who was fired last year after a 4-0 defeat in Chile and replaced by Eduardo Lara.

"I've been waiting for this for a while but I never despaired, I always said I had to keep playing to the same standard and that I would be called up at any moment," the 32-year-old Cordoba told Caracol radio.

"I've always been proud to play for my country and this feels like my first time."

Despite Cordoba's absence, Colombia, whose last World Cup appearance was in 1998, have conceded only 10 goals in 12 qualifiers.

Their problems have been at the other end where they have scored only six times. After a promising start, they have slipped to sixth in the 10-team group with 14 points.

Uncapped defender Juan Guillermo Cuadrado and striker Teofilo Gutierrez were included. Gutierrez is joint top-scorer in the Colombian championship with nine goals for Atletico Junior.

Colombia visit Diego Maradona's Argentina in Buenos Aires - where they famously won 5-0 in 1993 - on June 6 and host Peru four days later.

Goalkeepers: Agustin Julio (Santa Fe), David Ospina (Nice)

Defenders: Pablo Armero (Palmeiras), Luis Amaranto Perea, (Atletico Madrid), Mario Yepes (Chievo Verona), Cristian Zapata (Udinese), Camilo Zuniga (Siena), Ivan Cordoba (Inter Milan), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Independiente Medellin)

Midfielders: Abel Aguilar (Hercules CF), Gerardo Bedoya (Millonarios), Freddy Guarin (Porto), Vladimir Marín (Libertad), Cristian Marrugo (Deportes Tolima), Juan Carlos Toja (Steaua Bucharest), Macnelly Torres (Colo Colo), Fabian Vargas (Boca Juniors), Juan Pablo Pino (Monaco), Adrian Ramos (America)

Forwards: Wason Renteria (Braga), Radamel Falcao Garcia (River Plate), Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic), Carlos Darwin Quintero (Santos Laguna), Teofilo Gutierrez (Atletico Junior)

Ecuador

Uruguay-born defender Marcelo Fleitas has been given his first international call-up at the age of 35 when he was included in Ecuador's squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers.

Fleitas, known as 'the Ostrich', was born in Montevideo but began his career in Argentina with lower league teams Defensa y Justicia and Leandro Alem.

He moved to Ecuador in 2000 to join Olmedo, helping the Riobamba-based team win their only national title. Since then he has played for Deportivo Cuenca, Guayaquil-based Barcelona and Emelec, his current team.

Ecuador, seventh in the 10-team South American group with 14 points from 12 games, visit Peru on June 7 and host Argentina in Quito three days later.

English-based Antonio Valencia and forward Felipe Caicedo are suspended for the Peru game along with defenders Ivan Hurtado and Giovanny Espinoza.

Goalkeepers: Maximo Banguera (Barcelona), Marcelo Elizaga (Emelec), Cristian Mora (El Nacional)

Defenders: Jairo Campos (LDU), Giovanny Espinoza (Barcelona), Marcelo Fleitas (Emelec), Jorge Guagua (El Nacional), Ivan Hurtado (Millonarios), Isaac Mina (Deportivo Quito), Neicer Reasco (LDU)

Midfielders: Walter Ayovi (Monterrey), Segundo Castillo (Everton), Fernando Hidalgo (Barcelona), Edison Mendez (PSV Eindhoven), Jefferson Montero (Independiente del Valle), Cristian Noboa (Rubin Kazan), Pedro Quinonez (Santos Laguna), David Quiroz (Emelec), Antonio Valencia (Wigan Athletic)

Forwards: Felipe Caicedo (Manchester City), Joffre Guerron (Getafe), Pablo Palacios (Barcelona), Joao Rojas (Emelec), Carlos Tenorio (Al Sadd)

Paraguay

South American group leaders Paraguay have been hit by a bout of suspensions and injuries for their World Cup qualifier at home to Chile on June 6.

Coach Gerardo Martino included striker Roque Santa Cruz and defender Claudio Morel in his squad even though both are doubtful for the match in Asuncion, along with midfielder Jonathan Santana.

Meanwhile, defenders Dario Veron and Paulo da Silva and forward Salvador Cabanas are all suspended.

"We will see as the days go by if Santa Cruz has any chance of playing," Martino said.

"Apparently, Claudio's injury is less serious than it seemed at first, but we can't be sure until the doctors have had a look."

Paraguay, who also visit Brazil in Recife on June 10, have 24 points from 12 games and are set to qualify for their fourth successive World Cup.

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Real Valladolid), Aldo Bobadilla (Independiente Medellin), Diego Barreto (Sol de America)

Defenders: Dario Veron (Pumas UNAM), Julio Cesar Caceres (Boca Juniors), Claudio Morel (Boca Juniors), Denis Caniza (Olimpia), Paulo da Silva (Toluca), Carlos Bonet (Cruz Azul), Pedro Benitez (UANL Tigres), Marcos Caceres (Racing Club), Aureliano Torres (San Lorenzo), Julio Manzur (Libertad)

Midfielders: Enrique Vera (America-Mexico), Edgar Barreto (Reggina), Rodrigo Rojas (Olimpia), Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul), Jonathan Santana (San Lorenzo), Victor Caceres (Libertad), Sergio Aquino (Libertad), Osvaldo Martinez (Monterrey), Eduardo Ledesma (Lanus)

Forwards: Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers), Nelson Haedo Valdez (Borussia Dortmund), Salvador Cabanas (America-Mexico), Oscar Cardozo (Benfica), Edgar Benitez (Pachuca), Dante Lopez (UNAM Pumas), Fredy Bareiro (UAG Tecos)

Reuters