Diego Maradona’s ‘longlist’ of 30 names to take to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa next month has been announced. HEGS had heard that Javier Zanetti and Gabriel Milito would both be included… but in the end, after a long, long delay in the list’s publication, they were left out. You can follow Mundo Albiceleste‘s live chat right here.
UPDATE: The list is here now. Take a deep breath before clicking ‘continue reading’, you’re going to need it…
This is the official list.
Goalkeepers:
Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)
Mariano Andújar (Catania, Italy)
Diego Pozo (Colón
Defenders:
Walter Samuel (Internazionale, Italy)
Martín Demichelis (Bayern München, Germany)
Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseilles, France)
Nicolás Otamendi (Vélez Sarsfield)
Nicolás Burdisso (Roma, Italy)
Clemente Rodríguez (Estudiantes de La Plata)
Ariel Garcé (Colón)
Juan Manuel Insaurralde (Newell’s Old Boys)
Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United, England)
Midfielders:
Juan Sebastián Verón (Estudiantes de La Plata)
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle United, England)
Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina, Italy)
Juan Mercier (Argentinos Juniors)
Maximiliano Rodríguez (Liverpool, England)
Ángel Di María (Benfica, Portugal)
Javier Pastore (Palermo, Italy)
José Sosa (Estudiantes de La Plata)
Jesús Dátolo (Olympiakos, Greece)
Sebastián Blanco (Lanús)
Forwards:
Martín Palermo (Boca Juniors)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain)
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, Spain)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester City, England)
Sergio Agüero (Atlético de Madrid, Spain)
Diego Milito (Internazionale)
Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli, Italy)
So, no Cambiasso, no Zanetti, no Banega. No Gago either, which isn’t so bad, but Palermo is picked and Licha López is left out, as are Gabriel Milito, Lucho González and Pablo Aimar, among others who were rumoured to be possibilities.
You can follow the Clausura and the Argentine sides in the 2010 Copa Libertadores via HEGS on Twitter (including updates during and between matches and similar stories that might not go up on the site until later). I’m slowly gaining followers, but if you’ve not signed up yet you can do so here.
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Doesnt bolatti play for fiorentina no?
He does Abel (or rather, he barely has!). I corrected it whilst writing the other piece that’s now above this one on the homepage, but good spot!
So, Veron as the creative nexus for Argentina, I guess it worked for Bielsa in Korea/Japan 2001.
Oh, wait….
2002 Elliott. 2002.
I don’t mind Verón in the squad at all, but I wouldn’t have him starting as I’ve said. For me he takes a bit too much pace out of the midfield, and that’s something that won’t help Messi. With the squad that’s been named though, Verón is probably the best friend Messi’s going to have with him in South Africa, so he may yet be important…
Jesus Christ… I hate Maradona. Zannetti, Cambiasso, Banega, Gonzalez, Riquelme, Garay, and maybe even Gago deserved to be on here. I pray to God the local players (excluding Veron and Otamendi) aren’t on the final list. We don’t have much chance as it is, imagine the local players starting against England, Spain, ect.
nigeria will beat u…………..
‘Them’, Francis. I’m not Argentine.
What? What are you then?? I always thought you were Argie.
With a name like Sam Kelly? All these years reading and you’ve never looked at the ‘About’ page… I only moved to Buenos Aires last month! I’m English.
Haha sorry, I started reading last year. I really like the Argentines abroad by the way… I always thought English people hated Argentines.
Some might. I’m too young to remember the war, but I certainly like the country!
sure argentina will lose………..without pablo aimar ,requelma,zennetti i’m 100% sure argentina will lose.Crazy mad maradona how could you make such non sence squad.i am great fan of you but now i hate you…………..
no pablo aimar requelma playing this 2010 haha ha ha ha i want argentina lose…….messi does’t make anything alone….