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Argentina names squad for USA friendly

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                                                                               Photo by ISI Photos

Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Julio Cruz headline the 21-man roster chosen by Argentina head coach Alfio Basile to take part in Argentina’s upcoming friendlies against Mexico (June 4) and USA (June 8).

Not all the stars for Argentina will be making the trip after long European seasons or injuries. Carlos Tevez, Hernan Crespo and Juan Roman Riquelme were not called up.

More than 48,000 tickets have been sold for the USA-Argentina match at Giants Stadium and the match should be an exciting one. It will be the first meeting between the teams since their Copa America clash last summer, won by Argentina, 4-1.

Here is the full Argentina roster for the friendlies:

  • Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe-España)
  • Oscar Ustari (Getafe – España)
  • Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid – España)
  • Fernando Gago (Real Madrid – España)
  • Maximiliano Rodríguez (Atlético Madrid – España)
  • Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid – España)
  • Lionel Messi (Barcelona – España)
  • Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna – España)
  • Gonzalo Rodríguez (Villarreal – España)
  • Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol – España)
  • Jonás Gutiérrez (Mallorca – España)
  • Ever Banega (Valencia – España)
  • Javier Zanetti (Internazionale – Italia)
  • Julio Cruz (Internazionale – Italia)
  • Esteban Cambiasso (Internazionale – Italia)
  • Nicolás Burdisso (Internazionale – Italia)
  • Martín Demichelis (Bayern Munich – Alemania)
  • José Sosa (Bayern Munich – Alemania)
  • Javier Mascherano (Liverpool – Inglaterra)
  • Lisandro López (Porto – Portugal)
  • Fernando Cavenaghi (Bordeaux – Francia).

What do you think of the Argentina roster? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I think that basile made 1 of the stupidest rosters ever. Even though argentina won the game versus mexico with this roster they still need tevez and roman and crespo. These three players are 1 of the best players. With roman being the best out of the three.

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  2. I can’t wait for this game. I am flying down from Toronto to see this match.

    Thumbs up to USSF for hosting this type of match instead of playing Mexico for the 904th time. Yes, Argentina will likely dominate the US team but the US did ok with a B/C squad at Copa America last year until the 2nd half. Maybe with what will amount to something resembling an A team, the US will hang tough and make it a game.

    Can’t wait to see Messi live. Tim Howard is a very good GK and he’ll have to be at his very best on the 8th.

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  3. Ives, any prediction from US Soccer on how many tickets they’ll sell? Any chance of a capacity crowd for the game?

    Posted by: US fan | May 20, 2008 at 03:05 PM

    NO. MAYBE.

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  4. pat ur an idiot. there’s plenty of countries that play sports other that football. Spain players kik ass in tenis and most of the best baseball players aren’t from the US, boxing, etc.

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  5. Ives, any prediction from US Soccer on how many tickets they’ll sell? Any chance of a capacity crowd for the game?

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  6. I was hoping they were going to take the game seriously – obviously they are not…….. (it’s hard to convey sarcasm in this medium).

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  7. I am really excited now !!!

    I can’t wait to see el Kun & messi. I think it will b a special treat to see el Pupi Zanetti, even tho he’s been playing forever… what class & grace with the ball. I’m personally happy about that.

    the only let down is tevez, I think riquelme is overrated (except for the freeKicks), and crespo being out doesn’t bother me much, cruz is better at this stage of their careers.

    USA baby !!!

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  8. Jeff: Yes, some of those players play for some impressive teams. However, soccer is the number one sport in Argentina and everyone is born with a soccer ball in their basinet there. Soccer is the fifth or sixth top sport in the US if we are being generous about it. Soccer is colonizing the US and we’ve only had a serious Men’s national soccer program for 18 years. Overall, I think we’re doing rather well and in a short time at least the US has gotten an international reputation for producing quality goalkeepers. You’ve got to get over that inferiority complex and celebrate what we have accomplished so far.

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  9. HA! Good one, Manu.

    Argentines can beat the Americans in soccer AND basketball. Yeesh.

    Hopefully, that doesn’t happen from here on out. (In basketball, I mean. No chance in soccer — at least not for another oh, 10 years or so, unless we get lucky a couple of times.)

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  10. Hi Pat, In Argentina we play basketball too. If you would like I can show you my Gold Medal from the 2004 Summer Olympics.

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  11. Oh, I’m so scared. Other countries whose ONLY sport is soccer, surprisingly have better squads. Yeah, I know the deal. America has 4th class league, 3rd class players, other countries have 4 squads as better than our 1st, most countries U-23 squads are better than the full USMNT.

    I’ll give Argentina their due. When’s the last time England or Spain won any trophy?

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  12. This is great, no question about it. Argentina can have their pick of teams to play friedlies against, though maybe they have their own reasons for coming to the US – what kind of revenue does the FA make (bet they wish the gate from Giants Stadium was in Euros)? Do they want to keep it to the Western Hemisphere to lighten the travel? Anyways, they must figure the US will present some kind of a challenge.

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  13. WOW is about time the United State face Teams that has the best player in the world, but that doesn’t mean we can’t play against them. We have been to the World Cup and play against top team and we did good and bad, remember this is a friendly and we are trying to find the right players for the next cup. Next Friendly game coming up will be the same England and Spain have Good player also, WOW think about these are the friendly games that MEXICO would like and these country are looking foward to play against the USA that says alot. GO GO USA USA USA

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  14. It’s gonna be cool to get a glimpse of Gago.

    I’m not really sure why some people are acting surprised by the quality of the squad, as if we didn’t know where these players came from until Ives posted the squad. I admit it, I expected the players to be playing for the best clubs in Europe, because I’ve heard of them before.

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  15. We faced a more representative Argentine team last summer while fielding a “C” squad ourselves and tho we didn’t threaten them we kept the goal differential to 3. We may end up again using a less than fully-loaded side, but with the venue here and not in South America as was last year, we should show some improvement. Of all of Bradley’s friendlies, the most indicative of our current level of ability, to me, would be the Brazil match last Sept. Brazil used a representative team and we played with them for much of the game, but Brazil was always going to win ’cause Ronaldino, Kaka, et al.

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  16. Did Ever Banega get loaned or transferred to Sevilla from Valencia?

    Still an impressive lineup despite no Tevez or Roman. Kinda figured Crespo would be on the outside looking in unfortunately.

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  17. Still an incredible line up. I Love the USMT, but definitely think this match up is more than a little tough for them.

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  18. Jeff,

    Yes, its a reality check for US fans. Its crazy. Every guy on a top team in Europe. It will take the US another 30 years before we can have a squad like this, if ever.

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  19. I’m more than a little nervous about this match. I’m excited the U.S. have decided to use these international dates to advance the program. Years of playing Macedonia and El Salvador did nothing to advance our play. That being said, I’m concerned about the knock-on effect if we get our collective ***** handed to us.

    Argentina has the best talent in the world. There are players on their U-23 side that would all be stars on the USMNT. High risk, high reward, I guess.

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  20. Javier Zanetti seems to have been playing for 25 years now. I think he has tenure at Inter.

    Great squad, even with the names Ives mentioned being left off the list. US team will have their work cut out for them, but should be a fun game to watch. I’m very excited to be at this one live.

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  21. How indicative of how far the US has to go to be a true “top” side.

    Look at the teams where these players are at, compared to our own side. Best teams or not, big difference.

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