Player	Team, Age, Caps, Goals
1-German Burgos	(Atletico Madrid) Born: 16.4.69 Caps: 35 Goals: 0.
Carlos Roa's understudy during the 1998 finals, he played most of the second part of the 18-match qualifying campaign. A big man, the former River Plate keeper is a strong presence in front of goal and a good shot stopper though he has been prone to the occasional blunder. A key figure in Atletico Madrid's bid to return to their rightful place in the Spanish first division. Always in a good mood, el Mono (monkey) enjoys fooling around and is good for maintaining squad morale high.
12-Pablo Cavallero	(Celta Vigo) Born: 13.4.74 Caps: 8 Goals: 0.
Has been given the occasional outing including the friendly against England at Wembley in February 2000 and not always been comfortable with it. But is a good professional who works hard at his position, which did not come to him naturally as a boy when he played up front. Helped former coach Daniel Passarella's team reach the 1996 Olympic final in Atlanta.
24-Roberto Bonano	(Barcelona) Born: 24.1.70 Caps: 13 Goals: 0.
Another River Plate product who finally got his chance when Burgos left for Real Mallorca in the late 1990s. Has had limited chances with Argentina, enjoying just one good run of games in the first eight qualifiers in 2000. Dependable but unspectacular keeper in the traditional stay-close-to-your-line mould. Did well to win the first team slot at Barcelona as soon as he joined in the off-season after losing his place at River but was on the bench from December onwards.
Player	Team, Age, Caps, Goals
6-Walter Samuel	(AS Roma, Italy) Born: 23.3.78. Caps: 28. Goals: 3.
The best central defender to emerge in Argentina since Ayala and from Boca Juniors since Oscar Ruggeri in 1980, he is a better footballer than both, very good coming forward. Helped AS Roma win the Italian league last year in his first season there, after a $20 million transfer from Boca, an Argentine record for a defender. An adopted child, he was known by his paternal surname Lujan until he turned 21, when he decided to honour the Samuel family that raised him by taking their name.
2-Roberto Ayala	(Valencia, Spain) Born: 12.4.73. Caps: 74. Goals: 3.
Argentina's captain under coach Marcelo Bielsa and heading for his second finals. Strong and dependable central defender who is good in the air, making up for his relatively small stature with exceptional timing, he also has good distribution. Made his mark at River Plate before moving to Europe with Napoli. Ended a disappointing spell with AC Milan by joining Valencia and helped them reach their second successive European Cup final last year. Nicknamed Raton (mouse) after namesake Ruben Ayala who played on the wing in 1974 World Cup side but is not related.
4-Mauricio Pochettino	(Paris St Germain) Born: 2.3.72 Caps: 16 Goals: 2.
Late developer with a debut against the Netherlands in Amsterdam in March 1999 on the eve of his 27th birthday, benefiting to an extent by having been known by Bielsa for more than a decade since their Newell's Old Boys days. The pair linked up again briefly at Espanyol before Bielsa heeded Argentina's call to succeed Passarella.
22-Jose Chamot	(AC Milan) Born: 17.5.69 Caps: 42 Goals: 2.
A veteran of two World Cups, he could make a late bid for a place after only two appearances under Bielsa, against England in 2000 and Wales in mid-February. A strong, slow defender who can be caught out by a fast striker, like Michael Owen who turned past him to score his brilliant goal against Argentina in the St Etienne second round thriller in 1998.
13-Diego Placente	(Bayer Leverkusen) Born: 27.7.77 Caps: 6 Goals: 0.
A product of the River Plate youth scheme who like many recent Argentine internationals emerged from one the three World Youth Cup winning sides of 1995, 1997 and 2001. A reserve with few caps mainly as a substitute who has been hardening his claim to first choice recognition with consistent performances in the Bundesliga.
Player	Team, Age, Caps, Goals
8-Javier Zanetti	(Inter Milan) Born: 10.8.73 Caps: 66 Goals: 3.
Highly respected Inter captain who has been playing particularly well this season. Noted for some spectacular goals from the back, like Inter's second in the UEFA Cup final in Paris in 1998, and the equalizer against England at St Etienne less than six weeks later in the World Cup.
3-Juan Pablo Sorin	(Cruzeiro) Born: 5.5.76 Caps: 35 Goals: 6.
Bound for the Argentine colony at Lazio after the finals, has made his mark after starting his career at Argentinos Juniors and moving on to Juventus then River Plate. A major contributor to Argentina's attack, often linking with Kily Gonzalez on the left wing, laying on goals and scoring some himself.
14-Diego Simeone	(Lazio) Born: 28.4.70 Caps: 104 Goals: 11.
Captain in 1998 and became the only Argentine member of the 100 caps club against Venezuela a year ago. Combative midfielder, whose famous clash with David Beckham led to the England midfielder's red card at the World Cup in France. Has a will to win that has helped him take league honours in Spain with Atletico Madrid and Italy with Lazio. Known as Cholo after similarly named 1962 World Cup full back Carmelo Simeone who is not related.
11-Juan Sebastian Veron	(Manchester United, England) Born: 9.3.75. Caps: 46. Goals: 7.
Known as La Brujita (little witch) after father Juan Ramon La Bruja of Estudiantes de La Plata fame in the late 1960s, he is the hub of Bielsa's side, galvanizing a mainly reserve team to come from behind against Wales in Cardiff in February. Has had a quiet if effective first season with United -- after a storming start that had the British media talking of the Player of the Year award in September. Usually called Seba, could be one of the players of the tournament.
16-Pablo Aimar	(Valencia, Spain) Born: 3.1.79. Caps: 17. Goals: 1.
Played alongside Riquelme in 1997 Youth Cup and was his only serious rival for the title of most creative player in Argentina until his transfer from River Plate to Valencia in 2000. Helped River win their last league title in December 1999 as part of a brilliant attacking trio that included Javier Saviola and Colombian Juan Pablo Angel. Has struggled at times to make his mark in Spain. Nicknamed Payaso (clown) because he always has a smile on his face.
5-Matias Almeyda	(Parma, Italy.) Born: 21.12.73. Caps: 30. Goals: 1.
He played under Passarella in the central midfield role, has good positional sense and distribution. Missed Wales friendly in February through injury. Now wears his hair long but as a boy always had it very short hence nickname Pelado (baldy).
15-Claudio Husain	(River Plate) Born: 20.11.74 Caps: 14 Goals: 1.
Simeone's natural understudy. An all-round defender who can play right back as well as central midfield. Made his name with Velez Sarsfield and had a spell with Napoli before returning to Buenos Aires with River Plate this year. Called Turco (Turk), as are most men of Arab origin in Argentina.
20-Marcelo Gallardo	(Monaco) Born: 18.1.76 Caps: 42 Goals: 14.
Called Muneco (doll) but it would have been Baby Face if he'd been born in an English-speaking country. Gifted ball player who, having won numerous titles with River Plate, played behind strikers David Trezeguet and Marco Simone when Monaco won the league in 2000, his first season in France. The side disintegrated the following season and Monaco's fortunes have only recently been looking up again with Gallardo's return to form and promotion to captain by Didier Deschamps.
23-Ariel Ortega	(River Plate) Born: 4.3.74 Caps: 81 Goals: 17.
Nicknamed Burrito (little donkey) after a local bar where he regularly met up with friends in his Andean home town of Jujuy. Developed mesmerising dribbling skills playing with older and bigger boys which helped earn him the tag of the new Maradona early in his career with River Plate, where he returned in 2000 after a not too successful spell in Spain and Italy. Sent off in Argentina's 1998 quarter-final against the Netherlands in Marseille for headbutting goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.
Player	Team, Age, Caps, Goals
19-Hernan Crespo	(Lazio, Italy) Born: 5.7.75 Caps: 33 Goals: 17
Young pretender to Batistuta's Argentine goal king's throne who poses a selection problem for Bielsa, who seems reluctant to heed the call of many to play the pair together. Has shown tremendous scoring form over the last two years in Italy, helping Lazio win the title under Sven-Goran Eriksson in 2000. Called Valdanito when he first emerged at River Plate in the mid-1990s because of his similar looks to 1986 World Cup winner Jorge Valdano.
9-Gabriel Batistuta	(AS Roma, Italy) Born: 1.2.69. Caps: 75. Goals: 55.
Argentina's all-time greatest goalscorer with 55 in 75 matches and two World Cup hat-tricks, "Batigol" had to wait 10 years to win the Italian league, last year with AS Roma, after finally leaving Fiorentin. Has known Bielsa since their Newell's Old Boys days but this may not count when the coach has to decide whether to leave out him or the younger Hernan Crespo. Will be hoping for third time lucky in the finals.
7-Claudio Lopez	(Lazio, Italy.) Born: 17.7.74. Caps: 47. Goals: 10.
Known as Piojo (louse), for his elusiveness and slight build, he is a very fast striker who made his mark at Racing Club before embarking on a European career with Valencia. A Passarella favourite who has kept his place with Bielsa. Moved to Lazio in 2000 after their Serie A title victory.
18-Cristian Gonzalez	(Valencia, Spain.) Born: 4.8.74. Caps: 29. Goals: 4.
Called Kily since he was a child when he could not pronounce his first name properly. As a Boca Juniors player, made a bizarre start to his career under Passarella against Brazil in December 1995, coming on as a late substitute for his debut and being sent off three minutes later. His next cap, the first of 28 under Bielsa, came against Mexico in Chicago three and a half years later. A fast left sided attacking midfielder who played in two losing European Cup finals for his club.
21-Claudio Caniggia	(Rangers, Scotland.) Born: 9.1.67. Caps: 49. Goals: 16.
Nicknamed Pajaro (bird) but more often called Cani, he is a veteran of the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and Copa America winner with Argentina in 1991. He earned his first call up in nearly six years for the Wales friendly in February after just three appearances under Passarella in 1996. Left Boca Juniors, with whom he had a pay dispute, in 1999 looking to revive his career at Atalanta, where he had played in the early 1990s, and was thrown a lifeline by former team mate Dario Bonetti at Dundee, the stepping stone to his late revival. Faces stiff opposition, however, from younger forwards for a short intense tournament.
17-Gustavo Lopez	(Celta Vigo.) Age 31. Caps: 31.
Argentine lineups with the name Lopez usually feature nippy winger Claudio. But the Lopez more likely to start their World Cup opening match is Gustavo, a quietly spoken attacking midfielder with Celta Vigo.