MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -- Mexico included its volatile striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco in a preliminary squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Copa America on Friday.

Coach Hugo Sanchez also named Greek-based, Uruguay-raised striker Nery Castillo, who has dithered over whether to accept a call-up from Mexico, the country where he was born.

Blanco, 34, is considered the most gifted player of his generation and also one of the most temperamental.

He was rarely used by Sanchez's predecessor Ricardo La Volpe and was left out of the squad for last year's World Cup.

Castillo was born in Mexico of Uruguayan parents and raised at Montevideo club Danubio. He joined Olympiakos as a 16-year-old and his services have been chased by all three countries involved.

Earlier this year, Castillo said he wanted to play for Mexico and was called up by Sanchez.

However, he missed a friendly against the U.S. through injury and games against Paraguay and Ecuador for personal reasons, prompting the media to question his commitment.

Sanchez's squad includes eight players based with domestic champions Guadalajara.

The Gold Cup will take place in the U.S. from June 6-24 followed by the Copa America in Venezuela from June 26-July 15.

Sanchez, who will be in charge for his first competitive games since taking charge, says he wants to the team to win the former tournament and reach at least the semi-finals in the latter.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Oswaldo Sanchez (Santos Laguna), Guillermo Ochoa (America), Jesus Corona (Tecos UAG), Luis Michel (Guadalajara)

Defenders: Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Jonny Magallon (Guadalajara), Jose Antonio Castro (America), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Francisco Rodriguez (Guadalajara), Ramon Morales (Guadalajara), Jaime Lozano (Tigres UANL), Fausto Pinto (Pachuca)

Midfielders: Pavel Pardo (Stuttgart), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Jaime Correa (Pachuca), Alberto Medina (Guadalajara), Gonzalo Pineda (Guadalajara), Fernando Arce (Morelia), Andres Guardado (Atlas)

Forwards: Cuauhtemoc Blanco (America), Jared Borgetti (Cruz Azul), Omar Bravo (Guadalajara), Adolfo Bautista (Guadalajara), Francisco Fonseca (Tigres UANL), Juan Carlos Cacho (Pachuca), Nery Castillo (Olympiakos).

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