Argentina 2008 Training Kit – Small

In 2008, Argentina underwent a transitional period both on and off the pitch, laying the groundwork for the 2010 World Cup cycle. It was a year of high-profile managerial shifts, the continued emergence of Lionel Messi as the focal point of the national team, and most notably, Olympic gold medal success in Beijing — with a squad that combined rising stars and experienced players.

🏆 Key Competitions in 2008

1. 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (CONMEBOL)
Argentina played multiple qualification matches throughout 2008, with inconsistent results under coach Alfio Basile, who later resigned that October.

• ❌ Lost 1–0 to Chile (which triggered Basile’s resignation)

• ⚖️ Drew 0–0 vs Brazil

• ✅ Won 4–0 vs Venezuela

• ⚖️ Multiple draws with teams like Ecuador and Paraguay
  ➡️ By end of 2008, Argentina was still in contention but far from dominant

2. 2008 Beijing Olympics 🥇
A separate U23 tournament but key to the national program:

• ✅ Won the gold medal (2–0 in the final vs Nigeria)

• Key Players: Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María, Sergio Agüero, Juan Román Riquelme

• Managed by Sergio Batista, not Basile
  ➡️ Cemented Messi’s status as the generational leader

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Argentina 2008 Key Squad Members

Senior National Team (World Cup Qualifiers)

• Manager: Alfio Basile → replaced late in 2008 by Diego Maradona

• Lionel Messi

• Juan Román Riquelme

• Carlos Tevez

• Javier Mascherano

• Esteban Cambiasso

• Gabriel Heinze

• Martín Demichelis

• Javier Zanetti

• Sergio Agüero

• Roberto Abbondanzieri

• Julio Cruz

• Nicolás Burdisso

• Ángel Di María (starting to emerge)

• Nicolás Pareja

• Ezequiel Garay

Olympic Gold Medal Squad (U23)

• Lionel Messi

• Sergio Agüero

• Ángel Di María

• Ezequiel Garay

• Fernando Gago

• Juan Román Riquelme (over-age captain)

• Javier Mascherano

• Pablo Zabaleta

• Ezequiel Lavezzi

• Sergio Romero (GK)

• Luciano Monzón

• Federico Fazio