FC Barcelona’s megastar Lionel Messi does have an international medal in his trophy cabinet, the 2005 U-20 Youth World Club, where his Argentina team thoroughly outplayed everyone in their path – the United States, Germany and Egypt in the group stages, Radamel Falcao’s Colombia in the pre-quarters, David Siilva’s Spain in the quarters, Filipe Luis’ Brazil in the semifinals and John Obi Mikel’s Nigeria in the final.
The varing paths of the different personalities involved at the competition – all of whom dreamed of making it big in life – underlines just how cruel a mistress football can be, and the fact that in sport, as in life, only a select few make it to their end goal. All of the squad still play football for a living, though, and that is pretty big in itself.
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Without further ado let us see where the Youth World Cup winning squad of Argentina are currently -
The Goalkeepers
1. Oscar Ustari
The Starting Keeper for the dominant World Cup Champions, Ustari has had a journeyman’s career that has taken him across the planet.
Current Club: Club Atlas (Mexico)
Past Club(s):Independiente, Getafe, Boca Juniors, Almeria, Sunderland, Newell’s Old Boys
Biggest Club: Despite what David Moyes might tell you... Boca Juniors
12. Nereo Champagne
Currently second-in-command at the club they call the Cucumber Farmers, Champagne didn’t play a single game in the 2005 Youth World Cup
Current Club: Leganes (Spain)
Past Club(s): San Lorenzo, Ferro Carril Oeste, Olimpo
Biggest Club: San Lorenzo
21. Nicolas Navarro
Not only he does he have a World Cup Winner’s medal, he also has an Olympic Gold (2008) where he replaced an injured Oscar Ustari
Current Club: San Lorenzo (Argentina)
Past Club(s): Argentinos Juniors, Napoli, River Plate, Kayseripor, Tigre, Gimnasia y Esgrima
Biggest Club: Napoli
The Defenders
2. Gustavo Cabral
A centre-back by trade, he was Argentina’s right back at the Cup. He never feautured for the senior team, but has had a pretty decent club career.
Current Club: Celta de Vigo (Spain)
Past Club(s): Racing Club, River Plate, Tecos, Arsenal Sarandi, Levante
Biggest Club: River Plate
3. Lautaro Formica
A mainstay of the U-20 central defense, Formica never did follow the route that many of his teammates took, and stayed in the Americas
Current Club: Guarani Antonio Franco (Argentina)
Past Club(s): Newell’s Old Boys, San Lorenzo, Godoy Cruz, Huracan, Cerro Porteno, Asteras Tripolis, Talleras de Cordoba
Biggest Club: Newell’s Old Boys, San Lorenzo
4. Julio Barroso
Formica’s centre-back partner followed a similar trajectory, staying in the Americas for his club career
Current Club: Colo Colo (Chile)
Past Club(s): Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Racing Club, Lorca, Estudiantes, Nubiense, O’Higgins, Colo Colo
Biggest Club: Boca Juniors
6. Gabriel Paletta
One of the many Argentines who decided that it was better to shift allegiances than wait an eternity and never play for his national team, Paletta currently warms the benches of the senior Italian national team
Current Club: Atalanta (Italy)
Past Club(s): Banfield, Liverpool, Boca Juniors, Parma, AC Milan
Biggest Club: Yes, Yes, Herr Klopp... but AC Milan it is
13. Ezequiel Garay
If you have ever followed a summer’s worth of transfer rumours, you know who Garay is. The once highly rated centre-back is currently playing with the once-great Spanish greats Valencia
Current Club: Valencia (Spain)
Past Club(s): Newell’s Old Boys, Racing Santander, Real Madrid, Benfica, Zenit St. Petersburg, Valencia
Biggest Club: Real Madrid
14. David Abraham
Abraham is another one of Argentina’s highly rated centre-backs who have faded away into a relatively mediocre career
Current Club: Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
Past Club(s): Independiente, Gimnastic, FC Basel, 1899 Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt
Biggest Club: 1899 Hoffenheim, although Independiente does run them close
The Midfielders
5. Juan Manuel Torres
Better known as Chaco Torres, the defensive midfielder has had a proper hipster’s journeyman career
Current Club: Aktobe (Kazhakstan)
Past Club(s): Racing Club, San Lorenzo, Metallist Kharkiv, Atletico Defensores de Vielas
Biggest Club: Like so many others on the list, San Lorenzo
7. Lucas Biglia
A favourite of the recent senior national team Managers, the Argentine midfield destroyer has had a pretty succesful career
Current Club: Lazio (Italy)
Past Club(s): Argentinos Juniors, Independiente, Anderlecht
Biggest Club: Lazio
8. Pablo Zabaleta (captain)
We all know Zabaleta as a great right back, but at the Youth World Cup he was a box-to-box midfielder who scored three goals (the second highest for the team). Maybe Pep is onto something with that midfield experiment, eh?
Current Club: Manchester City (England)
Past Club(s): San Lorenzo, Espanyol, Manchester City
Biggest Club: San Lorenzo Manchester City
10. Patricio Perez
The central midfielder is another one who has had a journeyman career
Current Club: Once Caldas (Colombia)
Past Club(s): Velez Sarsfield, Leon, Chacarita, Everton, SM Tucuman, Defensa y Justicia, Central Coast Mariners, All Boys, Boca Unidos, Patronato
Biggest Club: Everton – for whom he played 15 times
11. Emiliano Armenteros
The midfielder will look back at his career and is likely to nod his head in satisfaction.
Current Club: Santos Laguna (Mexico)
Past Club(s): Banfield, Independiente, Sevilla B, Sevilla, Xerez, Rayo Vallecano, Osasuna, Chiapas, Santos Laguna
Biggest Club: Sevilla
15. Rodrigo Archubi
The winger barely made an appearance in the Youth World Cup, and has had a predominantly domestic career
Current Club: Sportivo Italiano (surprisingly... Argentina)
Past Club(s): Lanus, Olympiacos, River Plate, Juventude, Kazma, Boca Unidos
Biggest Club: River Plate
17. Fernando Gago
A regista who doubled up as a Claude Makelele replacement for Real Madrid, the Argentine was a wonderful player in his heyday and was a mainstay of the Argentina team that won the Youth World Cup
Current Club: Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Past Club(s): Boca Juniors, Real Madrid, Roma, Valencia, Velez Sarsfield
Biggest Club: Signor Francesco Totti may think otherwise, but there is only name that makes it here... Real Madrid
THE FORWARDS
9. Pablo Vitti
The tricky wide forward, known for his dribbling ability, has played for a LOT of clubs
Current Club: Veria (Greece)
Past Club(s): Rosario Central, Banfield, Independiente, Chronomorets Odessa, Toronto FC, Universidad San Martin, Universitario de Deportes,Queretaro, LDU Quito, Tigre, San Martin de San Juan, All Boys
Biggest Club: Rosario Central
16. Neri Cardozo
Having started off life as a forward, he dropped a touch deeper and now plays as an attacking midfielder who has spent the majority of career playing in Mexico
Current Club: Querataro (Mexico)
Past Club(s): Boca Juniors, Chiapas, Monterrey
Biggest Club: Boca Juniors
18. Lionel Messi
You know who this is.
What you may not know though is that he won the Golden Boot (6 goals) and the Golden Ball at the Youth World Cup. He was also the ONLY non-Argentina based player at the time of the Cup
Current Club: Barcelona (Spain)
Past Club(s): Newell’s Old Boys (youth team), Barcelona C, Barcelona B, Barcelona
Biggest Club: Newell’s... sorry, Barcelona
19. Sergio Aguero
Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero is one of the world’s deadliest strikers and having married Diego Armando Maradona’s daughter, he lived an average Argentine’s definition of Utopia. His recent crisis – in both his personal and professional life – shows that there is no such thing as Utopia
Current Club: Manchester City(England)
Past Club(s): Independiente, Atletico Madrid
Biggest Club: Manchester City (where he will forever be immortalised for ‘AGUEROOOOOOO’)
20. Gustavo Oberman
From starting of life as Leo Messi’s strike partner to becoming an impact substitute at Pune City FC, it’s been a long career of ups and downs for old Gustavo
Current Club: FC Pune City (India)
Past Club(s): Argentinos Juniors, River Plate, CD Castelellon, CFR Cluj, Cordoba, Argentinos Juniors, Quilmes, Olimpo, San Marcos de Arica
Biggest Club: No, no, Hrithik, sorry... River Plate
