Photo by ISIPhotos.com
Almost three years after being part of the Argentina squad that Tim Howard shut out in a memorable 0-0 tie at Giants Stadium, Lionel Messi will be returning to New Jersey to try again to beat Howard and the U.S. men's national team.
Messi, Real Madrid's Angel DiMaria and Palermo's Javier Pastore are just some of the names on a star-studded squad called up by Argentina to take on the United States (March 26th) and Costa Rica (March 29th).
Not all of Argentina's stars will be in action. Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero were not called in,with Tevez being the subject of a recent freeze-out by the national team after turning down a call-up against Brazil last year.
Here is the full squad:
ARGENTINA ROSTER vs. USA
GOALKEEPERS: Mariano Andujar (Catania), Adrian Gabbarini (Independiente, Argentina), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar).
DEFENDERS: Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Ezequiel Garay (Real Madrid), Gabriel Milito (Barcelona), Nicolas Otamendi (F.C. Porto), Federico Fazio (Sevilla), Nicolas Burdisso (Roma), Marcos Rojo (Spartak Moscow).
MIDFIELDERS: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Mario Bolatti (Internacional, Brazil), Ever Banega (Valencia), Fernando Belluschi (F.C. Porto), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht), Javier Pastore (Palermo).
FORWARDS: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Nicolas Gaitan (Benfica), Jose Sosa (Napoli), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica).
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The U.S. men's national team roster for the Argentina friendly has yet to be announced, but is expected to be named next week.
What do you think of the squad? Think the United States can knock off Argentina?
Share your thoughts below.
I anticipate we will see the new red kits for this match. Red/Blue/Red is my guess.
Yes, but I can guarantee the majority of those Argentina fans were posers…
This is a friendly, meaning even if Coach Sweats called them in, they won’t be cap-tied. Players are only cap-tied in official FIFA sanctioned matches, like the Gold Cup, for example.
Anyways, Chandler has to file some sort of paper work with FIFA (not the same paper work for the one time switch) if he does want to play for the U.S., and folks are saying that it won’t get done in time for the March friendlies.
Juan Iturbe has the league and also copa libertadores, no local players or those in other south american leagues are on this list. You can watch his matches with Cerro Porteno if you want to see him
I know Daniel Williams is injured,but Bob Bradley needs to cap tie him and Chandler.
Damn, my iPhone is posting nonsense. “hooch”?lol…. my iphone4 is funny.
If I remembervcorrectly EJ missed 2 good shots to the goal. And Freddy Adu gave the U.S a bit more life in the last 5-10 minutes or so resulting in a Adu and Gago argument during and after the whistle. Howard was the man of the match. The hooch also had a great game, I think he missed a good header in the 2nd half.
They wouldn’t have originally scheduled it in Seattle if they seriously believed those were issues.
lol, front runners. The Argentine population in the U.S is small.
Everyone I have an excellent idea. In this friendly we let them split halves. I know you all want one or the other but can we just let them each play for a little while then make the decision. Also keeping them fresh for their clubs so t
I see, he was born of paraguayan parents in Arg, like a ton of pyan plyers, and now plays for Cerro Porteño in PY. He says he would rather play for Arg instead of PY, which players with pyan heritage usually don’t do often. Like the Paraguayan version of Rossi.
I was a peace corps vol in paraguay…
who’s the Guarani Messi?
We’re still in the European season chillax and think for a second…most of the players from both teams will be flying from Europe. We’re talking 8-9 time zones if the game was in Seattle! Not to mention connecting flights etc..
good thing argentina can have another home game rather than seattle getting anything besides c roster gold cup games. thanks ussf!
What annoys me to the nth degree about people posting whiny a$$ posts like this (besides the fact that this thread is about Argentina’s squad not the US’), Sean, is that BB hasn’t started MB against Argentina yet. And if he doesn’t what will you say? I’m going to take a page out of your book and comment about something that hasn’t happened yet…you will find something else BB related to whine about. At least then it might be on topic. Waaaaaa…Bob Bradley is the coach of the UMNT. Suck it up.
I was at the 2008 game. The stadium was absolutely packed with Argentina supporters. We drove up the Garden State Parkway to get to the Meadowlands, and saw cars flying Argentine flags all the way up. It felt like we were away fans, which made the draw all the sweeter. I’d guess that no more than 1 in 4 fans at that game were supporting the US.
I wanna see Bobby Convey out there.
He’s a hell of a lot better of a left winger then Brek Shea at this point and time.
nico gaitan…plus messi…dale boca…
ives, any news/updates on when the roster is gonna be released? the game is only two weeks away and i would guess there is gonna be at least a 4-5 day training camp prior to the argentina and paraguay matches.
+1
I can’t wait for the game. Hopefully Tim Howard plays as well as he did last game. The U.S. has been on a considerable break (7 months) and these next two warmups will be a good chance to prepare for the gold cup. I wasn’t at the game in 2008, what percentage was the stadium pro-U.S. vs. pro-Argentina?
I agree. No score last time but the action was great and so was the atmosphere. I’m in again. Can’t wait.
What could be more predictable than finding the words “sonny” and “daddy” among the posts on a USMNT topic? Thanks for your input rude patronizing know-nothings.
like i said, i only remember 3 things haha
He closed his eyes and missed the easiest header of his life. Do you remember who played the cross in?
haha i remember 3 things in that match:
1) Howard was playing at the top of his game
2) 80,000 in the rain
3) Eddie Johnson’s missed sitter
Eddie Johnson missed a sitter in that game too. Coulda been a 1-0 US win!
you do have a point in that BB IS going to justify playing MB, even though he started getting less playing time in the last months for Gladbach (when they needed to get out of relegation) and is not seeing the pitch for Aston Villa. He hasn’t gone 90 mins in a while but daddy is running the show so he’s going to be in the midfield. MB is a good player when he’s 100% and we can’t pass judgment on that till he can get out on the field for 90 mins.
Adu was coming off the bench for Benifica (11 appearances 2007 scored twice, a team that Gaitan and Salvio currently play for) and Monaco (9 appearances in 2008), yet everyone was screaming he’s not consistent, well now it’s MB turn. Gradual development hasn’t been in BB vocabulary when it comes to other players so lets see him justify this
I see Argentina is not fielding all of their starters, there is a quite a few fringe players in that list. is the US nats doing the same? probably not, we just don’t that luxury, should we go with the same starting 11 as always? I would like to see a different formation, and a couple of players in different positions, I already know what the WC cup lineup can (can’t) do.
Tip for Sean: Rule out “soccer analyst” when you consider a career change.
Sean, relax…we’re not going to play Bobby Wood, Tim Chandler, and any other fringe players vs Argentina. I swear people like you amaze me who the hell do you want BB to call up for this game? Adu? What fringe players do we want to go out and play against Messi and company? Its never a good idea to mix in the “next generation” against Argentina unless you want their confidence to go right down the toilet…
I guess that means we’re wasting time giving minutes to Dempsey and Donovan, who both failed to win the US the World Cup.
Why not just bring up Rongen’s Under 20’s and get it over with?
The last match was incredible. A Tim Howard highlight reel for the first 25 minutes and then the US very strong in the 2nd half. Fantastic experience. I’ll be there again and can’t wait. Formidable lineup for the Argies.
So let’s hear it. Name the players that “couldnt get it done” last time.
Well I’m sure we will field no surprises. My only question at this point will be how will BB justify starting sonny boy when he cant get meaningful minutes for his club? MS’s star is fading fast … everywhere but on the Nat’s
We have to start building for the next WC and giving more minutes to marginal people we already know is not smart. The right thing to do is to start mixing the next generation with those that will be there in 3 years… not to roll out the same old 11 that couldn’t do it last time. That being said, I totally expect BB to roll out the same group he always does
Man, Messi was only 20 for that last friendly. Guy’s been busy. Since that last match he’s won two balon d’ors, league and CL trophies, and scored over 100 goals.
Interesting to see Di Maria listed as a forward, and not as a mid. Some new fresh faces here, I would like to have seen one or two of the U-20 players, especially the “Guarani” Messi.