By Max Wadsworth
Sky Sports
Survivors from the France '98 meeting - Almeyda, Ayala, Batistuta, Chamot, Crespo, Cluadio Lopez, Ortega, Simeone, Veron, Vivas and Zanetti. 10 of the starting line-up are in the squad (the only one who isn't is the keeper Roa).
16 of the 18 players announced in the squad play their club football in Europe. This is because the Copa Libertadores is currently under way in South America. Coach Marcelo Bielsa has had to do without talents such as River Plate's teenage marksman Javier Solari, top scorer in the Argentinian league. Playmaker Marcelo Gallardo of Monaco is also unavailable through injury.
Marcelo Bielsa (Coach)Born 21.7.55 (Age 44)
- Former central defender in the top league with Rosario Central.
- Took up coahing aged 27.
- Former coach at Newels, then with America and Atlas in Mexico.
- Returned to help Velez to the 1998 closing title.
- Took up the Espanyol job in summer 1998 but was wanted by the national team just weeks later after Passarella resigned later that year. The AFA offered Miguel Angel Brindisi, former midfield star, to Espanyol as coach and Bielsa took over the national job.
Born: 21.12.73 Caps: 23 Goals: -
- Played in all 5 games in the holding midfield position for Argentina in the
1998 World Cup finals, and continued with an excellent seasons in 1998-9 and
1999-2000 at Lazio.
- Not played for Argentina since France 98.
- Joined Lazio in the 1997 summer from relegated Seville in the Primera Liga,
where he earned much credit for sticking at his job through 5 trainers and a
shambles of a season both on and off the field.
- He first made the national team for the 1998 World Cup qualifiers and has
been first choice in a very competitive midfield since.
- His first club was River Plate where he spent 5 seasons winning championship
medals in 1994 and 1995.
- He was the player to benefit from the ongoing spat between Passarella and
Real Madrid's Fernando Redondo.
- His first 12 caps were all in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers after being introduced in the first qualifier.
Born: 14.4.73 Caps: 55 Goals: 2
- Joined AC Milan in summer 1998 after the World Cup when Napoli had been
relegated - fee was around £7 million.
- He was virtually the first defender that Passarella pencilled into his
national squad, having used him in his first game after the 1994 World Cup.
Bielsa continued the theme
- Was originally with River Plate, where he won a couple of championships while
barely out of his teens under Passarella's coaching - he was signed by Parma
in 1995, then loaned out to Napoli immediately.
- Silver medal in Atlanta Olympics 1996.
Born: 1.2.69 Caps: 69 Goals: 50
- Argentina's best ever scorer - Maradona is 2nd on 35 goals.
- The best modern scorer in Italy - 155 goals in just over 8 seasons and a new
Fiorentina club record set in autumn 99. Has 11 in 18 games in Serie A this
season to date.
- Finished 3rd in 1999 World Player of the Year behind Rivaldo and Beckham.
- He signed a new 4-yr contract with Fiorentina - but now says he wants to go
as he wants to win a major honour before it is too late. Now being watched by
Man Utd (whom he destroyed in the Champions League), Parma and Roma.
- Was an integral part of their 1991 and 1993 South American Championship wins.
- Known as the 'Angel Gabriel' or 'Batigol'.
- Was dropped for 10 months in 1997-8 after a spat with Passarella over the
role of other striker Hernan Crespo.
- Former Newells Old Boys, River Plate & Boca Juniors, he came to Fiorentina in
1991 for a bargain £1.5 million and is in his 9th season with the club.
- Scored Fiorentina's winner against Arsenal at Wembley in the Champions League
in October.
- Has played in only 1 of the last 10 internationals. Has scored 7 in his last 7 internationals.
Born: 16.4.69 Caps: 24
- Career has mirrored his countryman Carlos Roa - Burgos was national keeper
before Roa's reign, then No2 to him during the World Cup, and now that Roa
has retired to join the 7th Day Adventists, Burgos replaces him at Mallorca
!!
- First season at Mallorca, signed for an undislosed fee in July 99 - contract
until 2002.
- 10 seasons in the Argentine top flght, with Ferrocarril Oeste (where Pumas play rugby) and then River Plate, where he won 3 seasonal titles.
Born: 13.4.74 Caps: 4
- Back-up keeper to Burgos.
- Joined Espanyol from Velez Sarsfield last year.
Born: 17.5.69 Caps: 39 Goals: 2
- Now back in Italy with AC Milan since Jan 2000 for an undisclosed fee - he
spent 18 months with Atletico Madrid who are offloading for financial reasons
as the accountants investigate Jesus Gil. Gone straight into Milan's first
team.
- Signed by Atletico from Lazio in summer 1998 for £4 million - contract until
2002.
- Played in the World Cup in France - one of the defenders wrongfooted by
Michael Owen's goal.
- Not played for Argentina since France 98.
- Had played in Italy since 1990 when he left Rosario Central - he has been
with Pisa, Foggia and 1994-8 with Lazio, with whom he won the Italian Cup in
1998.
- Played in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups finals.
Born: 5.7.75 Caps: 19 Goals: 7
- Had a penalty saved by Seaman in the France '98 shoot-out.
- Is currently 3rd in Serie A scorers with 14 goals to date - looks as though
he is improving season after season from 12 to 12 again, to 16 and now 14
goals.
- Broke through in the Olympic silver medal team of 1996 and made fine
progress.
- Critics (including Batistuta) said he was one of Passarella's favourite's as
he coached him at River Plate as a youngster from 1993.
- Won 2 championship medals with River Plate, and the Libertadores Cup in 1996 before coming to Europe - and won 1999 Italian Cup medal.
Born: 4.8.74 Caps: 11 Goals: 2
- Having a fine season for Valencia - he destroyed Rangers in the Champions
League with 2 goals and also scored v Spain.
- Joined Valencia in summer 99 from Zaragoza for £2.2 million.
- A summer 1996 signing for Zaragoza as part of the deal that took Fernando
Caceres back to Boca Juniors - Kili is a former Boca forward, who was in the
Argentine national squad in 1996-7 for first 2 caps.
- Blotted the proverbial copybook in his 2nd game for Argentina by being sent off and had not really featured for them again until 99.
Born: 20.11.74 Caps: 9 Goals: -
- Utility midfielder from the domestic league.
- Been in squads for 5 seasons now.
Born: 17.7.74 Caps: 31 Goals: 5
- Outstanding winger from Argentina's 1998 World Cup team - introduced by
Passarella into the team for the World Cup qualifiers, he played 12 of the
qualifiers, after gaining a silver medal at Atlanta
- Known as Poijo Lopez, he was a summer 1996 purchase by Valencia from the
Argentinian top club Racing Club for £2.6 million.
- His 1997-8 form was a revelation, he scored 12 goals for Valencia from the
wing to finish equal top scorer - this after being hauled up by the Valencia
management with Romario for greater improvement, Lopez took the message,
Romario went home, and Lopez then extended his contract to 2002.
- Continued excellence through 98-9 and scored 21 goals to finish 2nd to Raul
in the league scoring charts - and to bring virtually every club to
Valencia's door.
- Continued fine form in the Champions League.
Born: 13.4.73 Caps: 18 Goals: 3
- Joined Celta from Zaragoza in summer 99 for around £4 million - played in the
1997 Copa America.
- Renews his partnership with coach Vicente Fernandez.
- Argentinian international, he is from the famous Independiente club and
joined Zaragoza for the final few matches in early 1996.
- Capped while at Independiente from 1991-5, and in early days with Zaragoza -
but lost out to namesake Claudio Lopez of Valencia in national team, before
1999 recall.
- Winger who had 4 improving seasons at Zaragoza after poor start.
Born: 4.3.74 Caps: 63 Goals: 14
- Now 7th on the list of all-time Argentinian caps.
- Arrived at Parma in summer 99 from Sampdoria, who were surprisngly relegated
in 1999 - but is obviously a class act and moved to Parma in summer 99 for
£9.5 million.
- Cost Samp £7.8 million in summer 1998 from Valencia - after a fine World Cup
when he summed up everything about himself, two goals, super performances and
then head butted Edwin van der Sar, the Dutch keeper, which cost them their
place in the finals
- Capped at 19 with River Plate, with whom he won two titles, and moved for
£5.5 million to Valencia in Jan 1997.
- Had permanant on-going rows with Valencia coach Claudio Ranieri, an Italian,
and had to go - was hardly playing at all, but did well at Samp in trying
circumstances.
- He played more France 98 qualifiers than anyone else with 15 of the 16 games
played.
- Usually wears Maradona's No 10 shirt.
Born: 2.3.72 Caps: 6 Goals: 1
- Joined Espanyol in the summer of 1994 from Newells Old Boys where he spent
some of 1993-4 playing alongside one Diego Armando Maradona.
- Has been in the national squad for 1999 and the Copa America - he was
spotted in the brief spell by Bielsa, who coached Espanyol for 2 months last
season before being appointed Argentine national coach.
- First Division player back home with Newell's from 1987-94.
- In 6th season at Espanyol.
Born: 12.10.66 Caps: 51 Goals: -
- Arrived at Lazio from Parma in summer 1999 for £2.8 million to strengthen the
defence - 11th season in Italy, after 5 each with Udinese and Parma - from
the 1990 and 1994 and 1998 World Cups.
- He began his career with Newells Old Boys and was in their first team from
1986-9 , before moving to Udinese for what proved to be four years.
- He gained what might have been the last of his caps in the 1990 World Cup
final, but the move to Parma brought him back into the frame, and he played
in the World Cups in both the USA and France.
- Been an international since 1986, but has not always been available because of club commitments
Born: 28.4.70 Caps: 87 Goals: 11
- Been in national team since 1988 and is 3rd in the all time lists behind
Oscar Ruggieri (98 caps) and Maradona (91).
- Moved from Inter to Lazio in summer 1999 in the Vieri package for £5 million
- Vieri was valued at £27.5 million in the deal which totalled £32.5 million.
- Arrived at Inter in summer 1997 from Atletico Madrid for £5.5 million, he is
a regular member of the national set up and has been in the 1993 and 1995
Copa America wins, as well as playing in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.
- Played in all 5 games at the 1998 World Cup - involved in the 'Beckham
incident'.
- First made his name in Europe as Maradona's minder at Seville, he did all the great man's donkey work in the side while Maradona had his problems - then moved to Atletico in 1994 for £6 million. He was one of the stars of the 1996 League and Cup double win and after a few disciplinary problems caused mainly by frustration, he moved country.
Born: 5.5.76 Caps: 16 Goals: 3
- Joined Cruzeiro from River Plate recently.
- Had a spell with Juventus as a teenager a few seasons ago, but had a clause
to return and has yet to take up the option of a return - he was in the team
that won the 1995 FIFA World Junior Cup.
- Originally with Argentinos Juniors, he went to Juve in 1995.
- First capped aged 20, now more of a first choice in the squad.
Born: 9.3.75 Caps: 27 Goals: 2
- Outstanding in 1998 World Cup finals.
- Summer 1999 arrival at Lazio from Parma for £17.5 million - 3rd club in 3
seasons after Sampdoria and Parma.
- Was also the big purchase of summer 1998 from Sampdoria for £12.3 million
after a fine World Cup for Argentina.
- Had two successful seasons with Samp - after being a last minute £2.6 million
signing in late summer 1996 from Boca Juniors.
- Son of 'La Buija' Veron, the winger who scored the winner in the 1968 World
Club Cup final for Estudiantes in those awful games against Manchester Utd.
- His first 9 caps were in the World Cup qualifiers.
Born: 18.10.69 Caps: 24 Goals: 1
- Went on loan in the New Year 2000 to Celta from Arsenal - joined Arsenal from
Swiss club Lugano.
- Left sided defender from the Swiss league where he is in his first season.
- Formerly with Boca Juniors at home in Argentina.
- Played in Passarella's first team after 1994 World Cup, after just a few earlier caps, and been part of his squad all through, now still part of Bielsa's squad.
Born: 11.4.73 Caps: 48 Goals: 3
- Summer 1995 signing by Inter from the Argentine first Division club,
Banfield, he is the current right wing-back in their national team, and was a
key player in the 1998 World Cup team. Scored against England in Farnce.
- He was one of Daniel Passarella's finds, and has only been rested, not
dropped, since his first cap immediately after the 1994 World Cup.
- Cost £1.8 million, which has turned out to be a bargain - only one to play all 34 Serie A games for Inter in last seasons's chaos. Played every game so far this season as well.
