2002 Argentina Home – Ariel Ortega #10

The 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea & Japan was one of the most disappointing campaigns in Argentina’s history.

• Qualifying: Argentina dominated the CONMEBOL qualifiers under Marcelo Bielsa, finishing top of the table with 43 points, well ahead of Brazil. This made them one of the pre-tournament favorites.

• Group Stage: Drawn into a difficult “Group of Death” with England, Sweden, and Nigeria.

  • Match 1: Beat Nigeria 1–0 (Gabriel Batistuta header).

  • Match 2: Lost 1–0 to England (David Beckham penalty).

  • Match 3: Drew 1–1 with Sweden (Crespo goal after Ortega’s penalty was saved and rebounded).

• Result: Argentina finished 3rd in the group and were eliminated in the first round — a shocking early exit given their squad strength.

• Kit: The 2002 Argentina home jersey, designed by Adidas, was a clean sky blue and white striped shirt with black trim. It is remembered for its elegance but also for its association with one of Argentina’s darkest World Cup campaigns.

2. Player’s Impact – Ariel Ortega (#10, 2002)

Ariel Ortega, nicknamed “El Burrito”, wore the iconic #10 shirt for Argentina at the 2002 World Cup.

• Appearances: Played in all three group-stage matches.

• Key Moments:

  • Orchestrated much of Argentina’s attack with his dribbling and vision.

  • In the decisive match against Sweden, Ortega saw his penalty saved by Magnus Hedman; Hernán Crespo scored from the rebound to equalize, but Argentina still failed to advance.

• Role: Served as Argentina’s chief creator, playing behind Batistuta and Crespo. Despite flashes of brilliance, he struggled to impose himself consistently against disciplined opponents.

• Legacy: The 2002 World Cup was Ortega’s last major tournament for Argentina. Though his international career was marked by magic and controversy, he remains beloved for his creativity, flair, and fearless style. Wearing the #10 jersey placed him in the lineage of Maradona, but the 2002 exit added to the bittersweet narrative of his international journey.

3. Full Squad List – Argentina 2002 World Cup

Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

Goalkeepers:

• Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors)

• Germán Burgos (Mallorca)

• Pablo Cavallero (Celta Vigo)

Defenders:

• Roberto Ayala (Valencia)

• Walter Samuel (Roma)

• Mauricio Pochettino (Paris Saint-Germain)

• Diego Placente (Bayer Leverkusen)

• Juan Pablo Sorín (Cruzeiro)

• Gabriel Schürrer (Deportivo La Coruña)

• Ariel Garcé (River Plate)

Midfielders:

• Juan Sebastián Verón (Manchester United)

• Ariel Ortega (River Plate, #10)

• Pablo Aimar (Valencia)

• Cristian González (Internazionale)

• Diego Simeone (Lazio)

• Claudio Husain (River Plate)

• Marcelo Gallardo (Monaco)

• Matías Almeyda (Parma)

Forwards:

• Gabriel Batistuta (Roma)

• Hernán Crespo (Lazio)

• Claudio López (Lazio)

• Kily González (Valencia)