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Official World Cup Squad Thread!!!!

1.5K views 43 replies 17 participants last post by  Assassin  
#1 ·
Here is the final list:

Arqueros (3): Roberto Abbondanzieri, Leonardo Franco y Oscar Ustari.

Defensores (8): Fabricio Coloccini, Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Heinze, Gabriel Milito, Nicolás Burdisso, Lionel Scaloni, Juan Pablo Sorin y Leandro Cufré.

Volantes (6): Maxi Rodríguez, Luis González, Juan Román Riquelme, Javier Mascherano, Esteban Cambiasso y Pablo Aimar.

Delanteros (6): Carlos Tevez, Hernán Crespo, Lionel Messi, Rodrigo Palacio, Javier Saviola y Julio Cruz.

Ps I will post any comments made by Pekerman on any of the Avove players
 
#3 ·
ampersand said:
cruz is in, demichelis wants to die. happy now?
what an idiot, y u gotta say that, this thread is strictly world cup sqaud news only, go and complain on other thread.
u think i want argetnina to do badly, of course not, i love argetnina football team with all my heart. I will encourage every 23 players when they play so stop acting a fool.

leave this threads for articles regarding interviews and comments
 
#5 ·
Yup the time for debate is over.

It's a squad with a definite 4-3-3 formation in mind with a lot of attackers and wingers. I think we'll see a sort of staggered lineup with Sorin the one attacking defender, Lucho Gonzalez figuring in midfield, and three up front.
 
#6 ·
we talked so much about zanetti and others exclusion, bo better talk about those who are in. well, i still think it's damn good squad, even defence which you complain about so much. looking at van basten call-ups i can say only ivory coast can deprive us of 1st place in a group, if only el pato has bad days far behind him.

It's a squad with a definite 4-3-3 formation
pekerman told he would probably play 4-4-2. weird, considering we don't have left midfielders, unless sorin will play there.
 
#7 ·
Some interesting stuff...

1.Pekerman said that they will play a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-1-2 at times.

2.Sorin will play LB, so most likely its Heinze and Ayala in the middle.

3.Pekerman said that all 3 GK's will be fighting for the starting spot.

4.It seems that Pekerman looks at Scaloni as a midfielder, not a RB.

5.Riquelme will wear #10
 
#13 ·
Pekerman said Roman would wear #10, thats all..

Thats all said by Pekerman, he mentioned Scaloni as a midfielder and hinted at Sorin playing LB.

not making it up.....and he was asked about Zanetti but didnt give any reasons, he just said politically correct answers.
 
#15 ·
6 strikers in 442

mmm, i assume messi a midfielder then

be a shame 2 play 4-4-2 i think, stick with croatia formation.
 
#16 ·
bbc sport

Argentina coach Jose Pekerman has left former captain Javier Zanetti out of his World Cup squad.
Bayern Munich midfielder Martin Demichelis also missed out but uncapped Independiente goalkeeper Oscar Ustari has beaten German Lux to a place.

West Ham midfielder Lionel Scaloni and Manchester United's fit-again defender Gabriel Heinze had already been told they were in the squad.

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is included despite his calf injury.

Messi is one of several in the squad who starred for the Argentinian junior side that won the under-20 World Cup last year.

"There is a permament evolution with footballers. Several of the under-20 footballers have made themselves noticed," said Pekerman.

"Before it would have been impossible for players of this category to come into the A team."
Boca Juniors striker Rodrigo Palacio is rewarded for his excellent season with a place, as is fellow striker Julio Cruz.

Cruz scored 17 goals for Inter in Serie A and will provide an alternative to Hernan Crespo as a big target man up front.

His Inter team-mate Zanetti was left disappointed and said: "Nobody told me what I did wrong to not be in the World Cup squad.

"I'm calm because I think I did my best to be on the list and I've been always available for the national team when they needed me.

"We'll never know if I've been excluded because of football reasons or not."

Argentina play their opening Group C match against Ivory Coast on 10 June 10 and will also meet Serbia & Montenegro and Holland.


seems like pekerman wants to make a pint about youth team players.
 
#18 ·
Martin Demichelis was distraught after learning he was axed from Argentina's World Cup squad.

The Bayern Munich star was widely expected to make the squad, but in a shock turn of events, coach Jose Pekerman decided to leave Demichelis and Javier Zanetti out of his final 23-man party.

Demichelis was just about inconsolable after learning his fate and even admitted that he did not feel like living anymore.

"The coach gave me a phone call before announcing the list in Argentina," he told Estudio Futbol.

"I am out and with his decision, I feel that I don't want to play nor live anymore.

"Since I found out, I don't have the will to dedicate myself to football.

"Now I don't want to do anything else, I even don't want to travel anywhere
 
#19 ·
Argentina have confirmed their squad for the World Cup finals, and it includes both Gabriel Heinze and Lionel Messi.

Both players have been struggling with injury in recent months, but they have fought their way back to fitness and have done enough to claim their spots.

Two big shocks saw both Javier Zanetti of Internazionale and Bayern Munich's Martin Demichelis left out by Jose Pekerman, who did find room for Lionel Scaloni - who finished the season on loan at West Ham United.

As expected Pablo Aimar, Juan Roman Riquelme and Javier Saviola gained their places - but uncapped 19-year-old Oscar Ustari's inclusion as third-choice keeper ahead of German Lux was a surprise.

Squad in full:

Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madrid), Oscar Ustari (Independiente), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna), Roberto Ayala (Valencia), Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United), Juan Pablo Sorin (Villarreal), Gabriel Milito (Real Zaragoza), Nicolas Burdisso (Internazionale), Leandro Cufre (Roma), Lionel Scaloni (West Ham United), Esteban Cambiasso (Internazionale), Javier Mascherano (Corinthians), Luis Gonzalez (Porto), Pablo Aimar (Valencia), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Corinthians), Hernan Crespo (Chelsea), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors), Javier Saviola (Sevilla), Julio Cruz (Internazionale)


Pekerman wants to show in world cup how basically the youth team cup shouldnt be overlooked, and the players there are top quality.

but still...scaloni over zanetti
 
#20 ·
Zanettis reaction over not getting included in the squad:

Javier Zanetti has confirmed that he will not be going to this summer's World Cup finals.

The Internazionale star was hoping to be included in Argentina's 23-man party - but coach Jose Pekerman has confirmed to him that he will not be travelling to Germany.

"Pekerman phoned me and told me that I will not be travelling to the World Cup, but I knew it already most of all from the press," said Zanetti.

"This was said more than a week ago that I wasn't going to be included in the list. This hurts me but it's one of the things that happen in football.

"Nobody has told me anything about what I did wrong for not being in the next World Cup.

"I am calm because I know that I did my best, I have always been ready for the national team each time that I was called.

"The only one that knows why I will not play the World Cup is the coach.

"I am going to be from now on more than ever the fan number one of Argentina."
 
#22 ·
I think its a very good squad. Apart from Zanetti being excluded, which we basically knew days ago was Pekerman's selection of six forwarders. I was convinced that Demiechelis (who I like very much) was going to go.

He is taking a lot of fire power..which can be a great thing, very good options off the bench. Crespo will also have direct competition from Cruz which is a healthy thing.

I like the fact that we will play with 4 at the back, it feels more secure and identifies with Arg teams of the past that did well at WC's..

Midfield is very strong as well both creatively and defensively..
 
#23 ·
Jose Pekerman press conference (16 May 2006 07:42 GMT)

"This is a balanced, highly qualified team," Pekerman told at press conference in Buenos Aires. "It's the best we could assemble. This team represents new blood to a degree seldom seen."

"There is a permanent evolution with footballers. Several of the U-20 footballers have made themselves noticed," added Pekerman. "Before it would have been impossible for players of this category to come into the A team."

However, he admitted he had anguished over making his final cuts.

On the goalkeeping decision (Ustari), he said:"We always said that there were four keepers in our mind. We called up the three who are in the right form to play in a World Cup."

Ustari did make the bench for a 1-1 friendly draw with Mexico in Los Angeles last year but has never made the starting XI.

Rodrigo Palacio, a 24-year-old forward for Boca Juniors, is rewarded for his excellent season.

"Palacio's characteristics are similar to the other forwards - even though he has not played too much for us I think he can bring a lot to the team.," Pekerman said, "Too bad he was unable to join the squad for the last friendly game, but we've been observing him for a long time."

Julio Cruz, who will be playing in his first World Cup, also makes the trip and will provide an alternative to Hernan Crespo as a big target man.

Pekerman dropped midfielder Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan) and Walter Samuel (Real Madrid), whom many fans and reporters thought was beyond question, but he refused to answer questions about the players he did not select.

"In all this period in charge of the national team, I've tried to encourage competition between players to motivate everybody to be in the World Cup. There were a lot of players who had a chance of being included," Pekerman admitted. "We must be all now support this team who make me feel confident ahead of the competition."

source: compilation from IOL, AP, AFP
 
#24 · (Edited)
wow, read this articleon ole.
it concerns build up to the list, especially telephone calls.

Basially pekerman wanted lux, but grondona said pick ustari. Check out the part i highlighted of samuel, pretty funny.
also cruz was chilled out, not as nervous as dusdher, milito and others.

Jose, before announcing the list, requested turn with a psychologist. Conscious of the shock that would cause to him to be the spokesman forced of more than a frustration, he joined himself to chat with Marcelo Roffé, external adviser of the Selection, and to prepare themselves for the day of the most important list of his life.

Player 23 defined it just at noon, understanding that the doubt is the time of which they think. At last moment he defined to add a sixth attacker (Cross) and to leave a steering wheel outside (Demichelis or Duscher), chance that advanced Olé. Once he put number to him to his establishment, single it began to call by telephone to the soccer players of the staff who were not going to go to the Glass of the World. Thus he spoke with Zanetti, that he questioned to him to find out before by the press and that the encounter was not expensive to face ("by telephone it is easy, if it were in Europe makes very poquito", escaped to him). He listened to the insult of a removed Samuel, to whom did not concern the previous relation to him. The weeping of Demichelis. And the sadness in chain of Duscher (it was locked in in a full room of impotence), Santana and Diego I militate. In the call to the brother of Gaby a curiosity occurred: the forward was with Ponzio, that thought that as the DT did not request to speak with him, it maintained chances... Like the Kun Omen, that began to sound live only by the disagreement of some average ones, and until he listened to the offer of a TV channel to transmit from his house at the time of the list, that followed esperanzado! and in family...

They passed the calls of the death and they did not clear to Julio Cross. Still more when 14,24, Duscher finally could take care of the telephone (it had not responded nor to his friends) and advanced to him to Olé that the legs had cut to him. Although the Gardener maintained the calm and the contact with his pals of Inter. "he is very calm", said in his name his woman, Lorena, one hour before the list.

-- What is doing he?

--Ya is about to to arrive. It took to the baby to a birthday, and now it is not wanted to come... It wants it to convince, ja.

Cross was the last last name
. But the controversy brought penultimate the chosen one: Ustari. Or in fact, the loss of Lux. Friday, Pekerman and Tocalli met to show the list to him Julio Grondona, with the idea of rediscutir the third arquero. Jose inclined by Lux, "a talent"; their right hand, the president of the AFA and Fillol put the gloves to him to Ustari, considered the best one to future. He was not for one internal one. In fact, Pekerman Saturday defined it and called to Poroto to meet to the other day in Ezeiza without Grondona knew. There, with the vidriosos eyes, it communicated his decision to him. The one of River, that was believed inside, did not understand it. And except its representative, Néstor Sívori, that Lorenzo insulted to Néstor, assistant of Jose, while Lux discarded the hand of the psychologist. Everything was left it Pekerman...

Zanetti recived world of consolation from his mates simeone, ayala, burdisso.

i hoped in this world cup zanetti would pass simeones international caps, but i think ayala, is next closest. if arg get to final, ayala will pass simeone record.

i think before argetnina kick off wc, ppl will still not omagine zanetti not in sqaud, even on the bench. The greates arg rb in my 16 years of following, if not the of all time.
 
#25 ·
zanetti for scaloni and demichelis for burdisso and it would have been near perfect. i also think diego milito is a better player than cruz, but can see why a specialist like cruz is needed for the wc.

czar said:
I think its a very good squad. Apart from Zanetti being excluded, which we basically knew days ago was Pekerman's selection of six forwarders. I was convinced that Demiechelis (who I like very much) was going to go.

He is taking a lot of fire power..which can be a great thing, very good options off the bench. Crespo will also have direct competition from Cruz which is a healthy thing.

I like the fact that we will play with 4 at the back, it feels more secure and identifies with Arg teams of the past that did well at WC's..

Midfield is very strong as well both creatively and defensively..
 
#26 ·
ampersand said:
zanetti for scaloni and demichelis for burdisso and it would have been near perfect. i also think diego milito is a better player than cruz, but can see why a specialist like cruz is needed for the wc.
true.

how did everyone do in terms of what they thought.

i guessed zanetti, demichelis, samuel for scaloni, cufre and birdisso
i also guessed lux for ustari and kily for palacios

so i got 17/23 correct
last world cup i got 21/23 correct