Of the 14 players that featured for Argentina in their 2014 World Cup final defeat to Germany, Lionel Messi is the only player that remains for the 2022 final in Qatar.
Alejandro Sabella’s Albiceleste made it all the way to the Maracana in Brazil, but they couldn’t get their hands on the trophy after Mario Gotze’s extra-time finish secured a 1-0 victory for Die Mannschaft at the iconic Maracana stadium in Rio De Janeiro.
We all know what Messi’s doing now, but what became of the 13 other players that featured for Argentina that night? We’ve taken a look to see what they’re up to today.
GK: Sergio Romero
Numero Uno for Argentina whilst so often a back-up in his club career, Romero’s journey was a unique one.
Despite featuring in Argentina’s run to the World Cup final, he couldn’t displace Emiliano Viviano at Sampdoria and went on to join Manchester United in 2015, spending six seasons as a bench-warmer for David de Gea.
Romero stood between the sticks throughout United’s 2016-17 Europa League campaign, which remains the club’s last piece of silverware. He joined Serie A fashion icons Venezia back in 2021 and is now back in Argentina with Boca Juniors, though he’s yet to make his debut for the club.
RB: Pablo Zabaleta
The former right-back made 58 appearances for his country and over 300 for Manchester City, winning two Premier League titles over the course of his time at the Etihad.
He joined West Ham in 2017 and spent three years in East London before retiring at the age of 35 in 2020. He’s since become a pundit and has appeared frequently on the BBC over the course of Qatar 2022.
“An angry Messi is something we love to see,” Zabaleta said of Messi’s spiky side following the quarter-final victory over the Netherlands.
“It reminded me a little of Maradona, that kind of character, and that is not a bad thing when you are trying to win a World Cup.”
Diego Maradona or Lionel Messi, @pablo_zabaleta?
Can’t we have both? 🙏#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/nsYlCbh6RJ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2022
CB: Martin Demichelis
Having made a shaky start to life at Manchester City, there was a time in which Demichelis was written off as something of a joke figure.
But the centre-back put that behind him, starring in City’s 2013-14 title victory before establishing himself in Argentina’s best XI in Brazil, drafted in to help keep clean sheets against Belgium and the Netherlands in quarters and…
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