2002 Argentina Home – Gabriel Batistuta #9 XL

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

• Qualifying: Argentina had been outstanding in the CONMEBOL qualifiers under coach Marcelo Bielsa, finishing top of the group with 43 points — 12 clear of Brazil. With stars like Gabriel Batistuta, Hernán Crespo, Juan Sebastián Verón, and Ariel Ortega, they entered the tournament as one of the favorites.

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

  • Match 1: Beat Nigeria 1–0 (Batistuta scored the winner).

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

  • Match 3: Drew 1–1 with Sweden, but it wasn’t enough to advance.

• Result: Argentina finished 3rd in the group and were eliminated in the first round — a stunning early exit for a squad widely tipped to win the tournament.

• Kit: The 2002 home jersey, made by Adidas, was a clean white and sky blue striped shirt with black trim. It has since become symbolic of one of Argentina’s darkest World Cup memories despite its stylish design.

2. Player’s Impact – Gabriel Batistuta (2002 World Cup)

Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina’s legendary striker, entered the 2002 World Cup at age 33, playing in his third consecutive finals (1994, 1998, 2002).

• Appearances: Played in all 3 group-stage matches.

• Goals: Scored Argentina’s only winning goal of the tournament — a trademark header vs. Nigeria in the opener.

• Role: Started as Argentina’s main striker, with Crespo often used as a substitute or rotation option. Despite his experience and leadership, he struggled for service as Argentina failed to break down organized defenses.

• Legacy: This tournament marked the end of Batistuta’s international career. With 10 World Cup goals in total, he retired as Argentina’s all-time top scorer in the competition (a record later surpassed by Messi in 2022). Though Argentina crashed out early, Batistuta’s name remains synonymous with their attacking heritage.

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)

• 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)

• Ariel Ortega (also deployed as an advanced midfielder/forward)