They topped the Group of Death thanks to victories against the Ivory Coast and Serbia & Montenegro, which included the best team goal for years. Then they went on to beat Mexico in the second round courtesy of a goal, which was the best individual strike of the tournament so far.
‘History remembers the 1986 Argentina team as Diego Maradona plus ten others, but this is a real team, founded on the discipline of Javier Mascherano, but given extra dimension farther forward by the skill and guile of Juan Román Riquelme, Javier Saviola and Hernán Crespo along with the youthful brilliance of Carlos Tévez and Lionel Messi,' wrote Oliver Kay in The Times.
Centre forward Crespo left the Argentine league to play in Italy while centre back Gabriel Heinze's route away from his home took him to Spain, then France. At the end of the 2003/4 season Crespo was allowed by Chelsea to join Milan on loan after a difficult first season following his £16.8 million switch from Inter. Meanwhile Heinze was on his way to the Premiership, signing for Manchester United in a £6.9million deal.
Ayala, Rodriguez, Sorin, Riquelme, Messi and Saviola all currently play in Spain, while Burdisso and Cambiasso are both Inter players. Mascherano, signed by Corinthians in Brazil for £10 million, and Tevez are two young players yet to make the move to Europe.
Ahead of their World Cup quarter final against hosts Germany today, Argentine coach Jose Peckerman revealed the secret of their success this time around. He explained how tactics are not dictated to his players as rules before games, but more as concepts, so they go out on the pitch each time and apply the concepts he teaches them in order to produce a tactical display of their own. Masterful!
Martin Jol wrote in The Sunday Times: ‘Argentina are probably the most complete team in this World Cup technically and tactically. Pekerman's side can make the game quick or slow it down. They can score after 24 passes or they can score after four passes. There is so much penetration in their ranks. I still can't believe Tevez doesn't even start for them. Messi is a little genius and what's lovely is he's so young, full of confidence and abandon. Argentina have three or four other outstanding players.'
Ayala explained how sudden changes to the personnel in the squad, allowed them to progress and start the tournament in fine fettle. He said: "When we were at our training camp there was no designated starting line-up. A lot of the guys secured their position because of the work they put in there."
Rodriguez who scored the wonderful volley against the Mexicans was one of those players. He said: "I never imagined scoring like that, even less so with my left foot. My right, maybe, but it happened with the left." (The Sun)
Argentinian sports daily Olé, described it as "a goal worthy of Maradona, blessed of a power and precision only within reach of God's magician." Rodriguez said much more simply, "I prepared myself to hit it and then hit it." (The Guardian)
Mascherano, the team's holding midfielder said in an interview this week, "I always watched a lot of football and I tried to treat each game as a learning experience, a chance to study the best and pick up things I could then incorporate into my game. I always loved watching Matias Almeyda (an Argentine who joined Parma, as Crespo did) but, most of all, I loved Claude Makelele."
Maybe a move to Chelsea is on the cards. Let's hope not!
Already arrived there of course is Germany's captain Michael Ballack. Interestingly Ballack and Miroslav Klose both trained on their own during some sessions this week. "Ballack did a full workout but it was without a ball. With Klose it's the exact same thing. It has nothing to do with injuries. They were just doing individual training programmes," said Hans Ulrich Voigt, from the German FA. (Daily Mirror)
Jurgen Klinsmann who made his players take part in an archery session this week, said: "After his great World Cup four years ago, Miroslav (Klose) struggled. He had a lot of injuries and moved to Werder Bremen, which was difficult at first. He's built himself up again and has reached his peak. I told him many times over the last two years that this is his stage and he has to grab it."
Oliver Kahn said: "He (Klose) was a revelation in 2002 but was very sensitive. He's been shaped by the success he's had and has matured as a footballer and as a human being."
Klose who is currently the leading scorer in the tournament with four goals, a brace against Costa Rica and Ecuador in the group stages, said: "It's maybe because of the way we played to feet at Werder Bremen that my game has definitely got better." (The Times)