With the 2012 summer Olympics about to begin later this month, United States basketball fans have been talking about their "Dream Team".
When associating the words "Dream Team" with basketball, you tend to think Michael JORDAN, Larry BIRD, Charles BARKLEY, Magic JOHNSON and many other legendary names. With the Olympics coming up, some fans are labelling the 2012 United States basketball team as another "Dream Team", claiming that if somehow, someway, both teams were to meet, the 2012 team would defeat the 1992 team. Others, strongly disagree.
While reading on the Dream Team, it got me thinking. What would Argentina's Dream Team of the past decade look like? Who would be in it? I'm not talking about right now, but a team which would consist of players from 2002 to present. I would like to think that out of the current crop of players on the team, Lionel MESSI would surely make a squad of 23 and even make the starting XI. Who would be the coach? Would you go with Marcelo BIELSA, Jose PEKERMAN, Diego MARADONA, Sergio BATISTA or Alejandro SABELLA?
What would be the criteria for getting chosen to be part of the team? Would you only look at that players performance with the National Team and disregard his club form? Someone who has always excelled and raised the bar while playing for Argentina yet not producing that much with his club. Would you leave someone out because that person doesn't fit in the formation you wish to play?
Here's a list of names of players who have appeared at a senior tournament for Argentina since 2002.
Goalkeepers:
Roberto ABBONDANZIERI
Mariano ANDUJAR
Roberto BONANO
German BURGOS
Wilfredo CABALLERO
Juan Pablo CARRIZO
Pablo CAVALLERO
Leo FRANCO
German LUX
Agustin ORION
Diego POZO
Sergio ROMERO
Oscar USTARI
Defenders:
Roberto AYALA
Nicolas BURDISSO
Jose CHAMOT
Fabricio COLOCCINI
Leandro CUFRE
Martin DEMICHELIS
Daniel DIAZ
Ezequiel GARAY
Ariel GARCE
Gabriel HEINZE
Hugo IBARRA
Gabriel MILITO
Nicolas OTAMENDI
Nicolas PAREJA
Diego PLACENTE
Mauricio POCHETTINO
Facundo QUIROGA
Clemente RODRIGUEZ
Gonzalo RODRIGUEZ
Marcos ROJO
Walter SAMUEL
Lionel SCALONI
Juan Pablo SORIN
Pablo ZABALETA
Javier ZANETTI
Midfielders:
Pablo AIMAR
Matias ALMEYDA
Ever BANEGA
Lucas BERNARDI
Lucas BIGLIA
Mario BOLATTI
Esteban CAMBIASSO
Andres D'ALESSANDRO
Cesar DELGADO
Angel DI MARIA
Fernando GAGO
Marcelo GALLARDO
Luciano GALLETTI
Cristian GONZALEZ
Luis GONZALEZ
Jonas GUTIERREZ
Claudio HUSAIN
Gustavo LOPEZ
Javier MASCHERANO
Nicolas MEDINA
Ariel ORTEGA
Javier PASTORE
Juan RIQUELME
Maxi RODRIGUEZ
Mario SANTANA
Diego SIMEONE
Juan Seba VERON
Forwards:
Sergio AGUERO
Gabriel BATISTUTA
Claudio CANIGGIA
Hernan CRESPO
Julio CRUZ
Luciano FIGUEROA
Gonzalo HIGUAIN
Ezequiel LAVEZZI
Claudio LOPEZ
Lionel MESSI
Diego MILITO
Mauro ROSALES
Javier SAVIOLA
Rodrigo PALACIO
Martin PALERMO
Carlos TEVEZ
Who would be part of your team of 23 and what would be your starting XI?