|
||||||||
Are Argentina on paper easily the best internationl side in the world?? |
![]() |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,215
|
Are Argentina on paper easily the best internationl side in the world??
I was looking at todays great international sides, many are impressed with France in this tournament, clearly the best side in the euro's, a lot of them are at a good age (Pogba, Kante, Griezmann etc all born in the 90s) but I still don't know how many truly "great" world class sides there are in international football at the moment, not many IMO.
For me however, on paper, there still one side that stands that is heads and shoulders above the rest on paper, and its not even close, and that definitely Argentina. Their strongest XI, with their respective ages: GK - Sergio Romero (1987) DF - Pablo Zabaleta (1985) DF - Nicolas Otamendi (1988) DF - Ezequiel Garay (1986) DF - Marcos Rojo (1990) MF - Angel Di Maria (1988) MF - Javier Mascherano (1984) MF - Javier Pastore (1989)/Erik Lamela (1992) MF/FW - Lionel Messi (1987) FW - Sergio Aguero (1988) FW - Gonzalo Higuian (1987) Here are infact there respective goal tallies this season for Messi, Aguero and Higuian: Messi - 41 Higuian - 38 Aguero - 29 So total combined goals for the 2015/16 season across the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A was a whopping 108 between the three of them, That's their forward line! Not exactly playing in sh1t leagues either.In addition they have Mascherano (easily the best holding midfielder when played there), world class wingers like Di Maria, defenders playing for top English sides etc. Argentina are a huge mystery to me as to why they haven't cleaned up the international scene, , aka like New Zealand at Rugby (ok a bit of an exaggeration). But they haven't won ANYTHING to date. That team is so frigging good they could win the Champions League.So the big question is, do they start as favourites for the 2018 World Cup? Despite winning F all to date? Pay attention to their birth years as well which I listed, look how many of them will cross the 30+ boundary by then. Most of them will. Argentina don't have much coming up underneath either. But what an insanely talented forward line they have. |
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 30,241
|
They had that team at the last World Cup and they still could not win it
The reason why Argentina dont dominate like the way New Zealand do is because you have not got that many good teams in Rugby Union like you have in football and thats why football is more competitive and thats why it is harder to win a World Cup |
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,578
|
They are bottlers
|
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,578
|
Argentina may have the strongest players on paper, but they are never in form at the same time. Most of them don't turn up, are out of form or injured during major tournaments. For instance, I have never seen Aguero play well for Argentina (I haven't watched the Copa America this year though).
They could/should have won the World Cup in 2014, but Di Maria decided not to play in the final and Mascherano was really the only player who played superb throughout that campaign. Messi was fine and did score important goals, but he got scared in the final and never turned up (unlike Schweinsteiger or Ozil who both rose to the occasion). |
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 69,132
|
Has Messi un-retired from international duty? Or is he still retired from that?
As that could seriously affect their chances at the next World Cup. |
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,215
|
Quote:
Has Messi un-retired from international duty? Or is he still retired from that?
As that could seriously affect their chances at the next World Cup. He just threw his toys out of the pram after the Copa America debacle, both Messi and Ronaldo are obsessed with being the best ever, he knows a World Cup would be massive for his legacy. |
|
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,573
|
Truth is that there are no outstanding international teams. Some countries have good sets of players on paper (including Enfland) but they struggle to play as teams in tournaments. So,e countries have limited players but can play well as a team, such as Wales and Iceland. But as I've trolled, sorry argued
before, club football is where high quality competitive play is at.
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 30,241
|
Quote:
Truth is that there are no outstanding international teams. Some countries have good sets of players on paper (including Enfland) but they struggle to play as teams in tournaments. So,e countries have limited players but can play well as a team, such as Wales and Iceland. But as I've trolled, sorry argued
before, club football is where high quality competitive play is at.Spain did not play like a team And the less said about England the better |
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,578
|
Quote:
Truth is that there are no outstanding international teams. Some countries have good sets of players on paper (including Enfland) but they struggle to play as teams in tournaments. So,e countries have limited players but can play well as a team, such as Wales and Iceland. But as I've trolled, sorry argued
before, club football is where high quality competitive play is at.And let's not pretend that we saw some high quality football in the Premier League last season |
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 30,241
|
Quote:
France doesn't play like a team? Germany doesn't play like a team? Even Argentina plays like a team.
And let's not pretend that we saw some high quality football in the Premier League last season |
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 51,587
|
Eloratings have Argentina as the No.1 team at the moment and quite comfortably so the answer may well be yes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: West London
Posts: 5,657
|
Paper maybe, pitch no.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#13 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 56,270
|
Quote:
I think France, Germany and Italy have been only top nations to play like a team at the Euros
Spain did not play like a team And the less said about England the better |
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 51,587
|
Quote:
Paper maybe, pitch no.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: West London
Posts: 5,657
|
Quote:
I think Argentina have improved since the last World Cup though, winning nine of their last ten matches and handing out a few hidings to decent teams.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 51,587
|
Quote:
But losing again in the final when it ultimately counts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 5,099
|
They were consumed by nerves in the Copa final. It was hard to watch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: West London
Posts: 5,657
|
As were their penalties
|
|
|
|
|
|
#19 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,410
|
Wether they're the best is debatable, but if they are, they certainly aren't "easily the best", if they were they would have won Copa America and without extra time or penalties.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#20 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,848
|
they aren't even the strongest in S America, are they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#21 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 56,270
|
Quote:
they aren't even the strongest in S America, are they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#22 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 17,848
|
Argentina means "silver". maybe that's why they come second a lot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#23 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 51,587
|
Quote:
they aren't even the strongest in S America, are they?
|
|
|
|
|
|
#24 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,215
|
Quote:
Wether they're the best is debatable, but if they are, they certainly aren't "easily the best", if they were they would have won Copa America and without extra time or penalties.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gemma-the-husky
they aren't even the strongest in S America, are they?
I'm talking about terms of their overall potential, as if in if you could work with one international teams players as a manager, who would it be, I would argue on paper Argentina offer the greatest potential. Are they results wise the best team in the world? No of course not, I don't agree that they should be the number 1 ranked side in the world either. |
|
|
|
|
|
#25 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 5,258
|
Germany, Spain and France would be at least in the argument as well.
|
|
|
|
![]() |
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:17.


That's their forward line! Not exactly playing in sh1t leagues either.
, aka like New Zealand at Rugby (ok a bit of an exaggeration). But they haven't won ANYTHING to date. That team is so frigging good they could win the Champions League.

before, club football is where high quality competitive play is at.