If simply knowing which players are in the squad isn’t enough, Argentina-watchers can rejoice today: the full list of which players will use which shirt numbers during the 2010 World Cup has been released. Lionel Messi takes the number 10, of course, whilst other notable choices see Javier Mascherano stick with his preferred 14, first-choice keeper Sergio Romero opt for the number 12, Carlos Tevez with number 11, and Gonzalo Higuaín as the 9 (Diego Milito takes 19). You can see the full list of numbers right here.
1 – Diego Pozo (GK)
2 – Martín Demichelis (D)
3 – Clemente Rodríguez (D)
4 – Nicolás Burdisso (D)
5 – Mario Bolatti (M)
6 – Gabriel Heinze (D)
7 – Ángel Di María (M)
8 – Juan Sebastián Verón (M)
9 – Gonzalo Higuaín (F)
10 – Lionel Messi (F)
11 – Carlos Tevez (F)
12 – Sergio Romero (GK)
13 – Walter Samuel (D)
14 – Javier Mascherano (M)
15 – Nicolás Otamendi (D)
16 – Sergio Agüero (F)
17 – Jonás Gutiérrez (M)
18 – Martín Palermo (F)
19 – Diego Milito (F)
20 – Maxi Rodríguez (M)
21 – Ariel Garcé (D)
22 – Javier Pastore (M)
23 – Mariano Andújar (GK)
Given that we already know Diego Maradona’s preference for stringing four centre backs across the defence, it’s interesting that Clemente Rodríguez has been given the number 3 (normally reserved for the first-choice left back) whilst Walter Samuel – who I’d expect to be in the centre of defence alongside Martín Demichelis – is out at number 13. Most of the other peculiarities are down to players preferring a certain number, though, and with Mascherano seemingly liking the 14 shirt we’re left with Mario bloody Bolatti being able to one day tell his grandkids he wore the number 5 shirt for Argentina at a World Cup.
UPDATE: On Friday 28th May a few changes to the above were made.
Sergio Romero has done a four-way number swap with the last three players above. Romero will take the number 22; Ariel Garcé will take the vacated number 12; Mariano Andújar will take Garcé’s 21 and Javier Pastore will move to 23.
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Hasta El Gol Siempre 
I’m so glad to see Clemente Rodriguez in the side – he and Tevez are finally reunited in a fiesta of xeneize proportions. I’ve always wondered – any club issues between former Boca and River players like for England? I know Diego is not a fan of gallinas….
He’s such a gallina-hater that he made one of them captain, Elliott. I don’t think it’ll be a problem…
I think there was a mixup at birth and Mascherano got stuffed in a Gallina crib by mistake. How could such an aggressive and mean guy not have been at Boca ? Que lastima !!
Even though I’m Irish, I’m a West Ham fan and will be buying an Argentina shirt for the World Cup and getting Carlos Tevez’s name and number printed on the back. I still love him for all he did to help the Hammers before he left and my money’s on Argentina to lift the World Cup this year.