Argentina’s Greatest XI: 2000 – 2020

Argentina remain one of the giants of international football, one of only six nations to have the World Cup at least twice, and producer of two of the all-time greats in Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

Here's a look at Argentina's greatest XI from 2000 to 2020...

Sergio Romero (GK)

Sergio Romero has had a limited club career, serving as a back-up since 2013. It takes nothing away from his ability though and he is well liked by fans at current club Manchester United, nor has it harmed his international stock, playing 96 times for Argentina between 2009 and 2018.

Javier Zanetti (RB)

Incredible longevity ensured that Javier Zanetti was still performing at the highest level for club side Inter until 2014 and beyond his 40th birthday. His 143 Argentina caps was a national record when he called time on his international career 2011 and was only broken in 2018.

Roberto Ayala (CB)

Roberto Ayala was firmly among the best centre-backs in the world in the early 2000s, reaching back-to-back Champions League finals with Valencia and winning the UEFA Cup. In addition to 115 senior Argentina appearances, he won an Olympic gold medal in 2004.

Nicolas Otamendi (CB)

Nicolas Otamendi has played in two Copa America finals and has been to two World Cups with Argentina. At club level, the Manchester City defender has two Premier League titles to his name and particularly thrived during the 2017/18 ‘Centurions’ season.

Juan Pablo Sorín (LB)

A marauding full-back, Juan Pablo Sorín was instantly recognisable during his heyday due to his long flowing hair. He notably played for both Lazio and Barcelona upon moving to Europe, but it was with Villarreal and their run to the 2005/06 Champions League semi-finals that he really shone.

Esteban Cambiasso (DM)

Esteban Cambiasso scored one of the greatest goals in World Cup history when he finished off a marvellous passing move in a thrashing of Serbia & Montenegro in 2006. He had 485 combined appearances for Real Madrid and Inter before becoming a cult hero at Leicester.

Javier Mascherano (DM)

Javier Mascherano is Argentina’s most capped player of all time, stepping onto the pitch for La Albiceleste at senior level no fewer than 147 times. He also won two Olympic gold medals, played in five major international finals and was part of Barcelona’s greatest ever side.

Juan Román Riquelme (AM)

Juan Román Riquelme is revered as one of the most technically gifted players of his generation and won the Copa Libertadores three times with Boca Juniors this century. His first port of call in Europe was Barcelona, but it was Villarreal where he became one the best in the world.

Lionel Messi (RF)

Considered by many to be the greatest of all time, Lionel Messi has quite simply written football history ever since he burst onto the scene at 17. Six Ballon d’Or awards tells its own story, while he has been Argentina’s all-time leading scorer since 2016 and now has 70 goals to his name.

Roberto Ayala recently told 90min that Messi has developed from a shy youngster who would retreat to his room the moment a training session finished into a real leader.

“Today, he is a leader on and off the pitch. In the beginning, when we were teammates, practically he did not speak. He used to go out to train because it was compulsory and then only stay in his room,” Ayala, a national team colleague between 2005 and 2007, explained.

“Now, he participates in everything: he talks to his teammates, he asks them how they are. In the build-up to matches he also talks a lot. He does things in silence that are very useful for the group.”

Ángel Di María (LF)

The fact that Ángel Di María was injured for the 2014 World Cup final perhaps cost Argentina their best chance of glory. The flying winger was arguably at his peak then straight after inspiring Real Madrid to a 10th Champions League title and has continued to star for Paris Saint-Germain.

Gabriel Batistuta (ST)

Easily one of the world’s best in the 1990s, Gabriel Batistuta carried that into the 21st century and inspired Roma to the Serie A title in 2000/01. He was the senior star and leading force in the Argentina side that was heavily fancied to the win the 2002 World Cup.

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