World Cup countdown: 50 days, Argentina moment number 48, Angel DI MARIA

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As part of the 50 days, 50 Argentina World Cup moments, we will be counting down the top 50 Argentina moments at a World Cup using the daily number.

We are just 48 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup and in 48th place we have Angel DI MARIA’s 48th cap for Argentina which happened to be his country’s opening match at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a 2-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

One of the favorites of the tournament were up against one of the World Cup debutants. Alejandro SABELLA infamously opted to go for a 5-3-2 and despite getting an early own goal and a 1-0 lead, the team never looked fully comfortable. And then, Lionel MESSI happened. A fantastic give-and-go with Gonzalo HIGUAIN (who was substituted on at half time) meant the team had finally arrived to the World Cup.

Here was Argentina’s starting XI for that match:

1. Sergio ROMERO
2. Ezequiel GARAY
3. Hugo CAMPAGNARO
4. Pablo ZABALETA
7. Angel DI MARIA
10. Lionel MESSI
11. Maxi RODRIGUEZ
14. Javier MASCHERANO
16. Marcos ROJO
17. Federico FERNANDEZ
20. Sergio AGUERO

That goal flipped the switch for the team which would eventually make the final of the World Cup. Angel DI MARIA started to turn on the style, a rabona pass to Marcos ROJO to keep the ball into play, a fantastic little dribble going in between two Bosnia-Herzegovina players… The team looked sensational in that second half.

Ángel Di María: Argentina International Caps – Senior Level

# Opponent Competition Date Result
1 Paraguay 2010 World Cup Qualifiers September 6, 2008 Final 1-1 Draw
2 Venezuela 2010 World Cup Qualifiers March 28, 2009 Final 4-0 Argentina
3 Bolivia 2010 World Cup Qualifiers April 1, 2009 Final 6-1 Argentina
4 Peru 2010 World Cup Qualifiers October 10, 2009 Final 2-1 Argentina
5 Spain Friendly November 14, 2009 Final 2-1 Spain
Catalonia Unofficial Friendly December 22, 2009 Final 4-2 Catalonia
6 Germany Friendly March 3, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
7 Canada Friendly May 23, 2010 Final 5-0 Argentina
8 Nigeria 2010 FIFA World Cup June 12, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
9 South Korea 2010 FIFA World Cup June 17, 2010 Final 4-1 Argentina
10 Greece 2010 FIFA World Cup June 22, 2010 Final 2-0 Argentina
11 Mexico 2010 FIFA World Cup June 27, 2010 Final 3-1 Argentina
12 Germany 2010 FIFA World Cup July 3, 2010 Final 4-0 Germany
13 Republic of Ireland Friendly August 11, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
14 Spain Friendly September 7, 2010 Final 4-1 Argentina
15 Japan Friendly October 8, 2010 Final 1-0 Japan
16 Brazil Friendly November 17, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
17 Portugal Friendly February 9, 2011 Final 2-1 Argentina
18 United States Friendly March 26, 2011 Final 1-1 Draw
19 Albania Friendly June 20, 2011 Final 4-0 Argentina
20 Bolivia 2011 Copa America July 1, 2011 Final 1-1 Draw
21 Colombia 2011 Copa America July 6, 2011 Final 0-0 Draw
22 Costa Rica 2011 Copa America July 11, 2011 Final 3-0 Argentina
23 Uruguay 2011 Copa America July 16, 2011 Final 1-1 (5-4 P) Uruguay
24 Venezuela Friendly September 2, 2011 Final 1-0 Argentina
25 Nigeria Friendly September 6, 2011 Final 3-1 Argentina
26 Chile 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 7, 2011 Final 4-1 Argentina
27 Venezuela 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 11, 2011 Final 1-0 Venezuela
28 Ecuador 2014 World Cup Qualifiers June 2, 2012 Final 4-0 Argentina
29 Brazil Friendly June 9, 2012 Final 4-3 Argentina
30 Germany Friendly August 15, 2012 Final 3-1 Argentina
31 Paraguay 2014 World Cup Qualifiers September 7, 2012 Final 3-1 Argentina
32 Peru 2014 World Cup Qualifiers September 11, 2012 Final 1-1 Draw
33 Uruguay 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 12, 2012 Final 3-0 Argentina
34 Chile 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 16, 2012 Final 2-1 Argentina
35 Saudi Arabia Friendly November 14, 2012 Final 0-0 Draw
36 Sweden Friendly February 6, 2013 Final 3-2 Argentina
37 Bolivia 2014 World Cup Qualifiers March 26, 2013 Final 1-1 Draw
38 Colombia 2014 World Cup Qualifiers June 7, 2013 Final 0-0 Draw
39 Ecuador 2014 World Cup Qualifiers June 11, 2013 Final 1-1 Draw
40 Italy Friendly August 14, 2013 Final 2-1 Argentina
41 Paraguay 2014 World Cup Qualifiers September 10, 2013 Final 5-2 Argentina
42 Peru 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 11, 2013 Final 3-1 Argentina
43 Ecuador Friendly November 15, 2013 Final 0-0 Draw
44 Bosnia-Herzegovina Friendly November 18, 2013 Final 2-0 Argentina
45 Romania Friendly March 5, 2014 Final 0-0 Draw
46 Trinidad and Tobago Friendly June 4, 2014 Final 3-0 Argentina
47 Slovenia Friendly June 7, 2014 Final 2-0 Argentina
48 Bosnia-Herzegovina 2014 FIFA World Cup June 15, 2014 Final 2-1 Argentina
49 Iran 2014 FIFA World Cup June 21, 2014 Final 1-0 Argentina
50 Nigeria 2014 FIFA World Cup June 25, 2014 Final 3-2 Argentina
51 Switzerland 2014 FIFA World Cup July 1, 2014 Final 1-0 Argentina
52 Belgium 2014 FIFA World Cup July 5, 2014 Final 1-0 Argentina
53 Germany Friendly September 3, 2014 Final 4-2 Argentina
54 Brazil Friendly October 11, 2014 Final 2-0 Brazil
55 Hong Kong Friendly October 14, 2014 Final 7-0 Argentina
56 Croatia Friendly November 12, 2014 Final 2-1 Argentina
57 Portugal Friendly November 18, 2014 Final 1-0 Portugal
58 El Salvador Friendly March 28, 2015 Final 2-0 Argentina
59 Ecuador Friendly March 31, 2015 Final 2-1 Argentina
60 Bolivia Friendly June 6, 2015 Final 5-0 Argentina
61 Paraguay 2015 Copa America June 13, 2015 Final 2-2 Draw
62 Uruguay 2015 Copa America June 16, 2015 Final 1-0 Argentina
63 Jamaica 2015 Copa America June 20, 2015 Final 1-0 Argentina
64 Colombia 2015 Copa America June 27, 2015 Final 0-0 (5-4 P) Arg
65 Paraguay 2015 Copa America June 30, 2015 Final 6-1 Argentina
66 Chile 2015 Copa America July 4, 2015 Final 0-0 (4-1 P) Chile
67 Ecuador 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 8, 2015 Final 2-0 Ecuador
68 Paraguay 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 13, 2015 Final 0-0 Draw
69 Brazil 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 13, 2015 Final 1-1 Draw
70 Colombia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 17, 2015 Final 1-0 Argentina
71 Chile 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 24, 2016 Final 2-1 Argentina
72 Bolivia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 29, 2016 Final 2-0 Argentina
73 Honduras Friendly May 27, 2016 Final 1-0 Argentina
74 Chile 2016 Copa America June 6, 2016 Final 2-1 Argentina
75 Panama 2016 Copa America June 10, 2016 Final 5-0 Argentina
76 Chile 2016 Copa America June 26, 2016 Final 0-0 (4-2 P) Chile
77 Uruguay 2018 World Cup Qualifiers September 1, 2016 Final 1-0 Argentina
78 Venezuela 2018 World Cup Qualifiers September 6, 2016 Final 2-2 Draw
79 Peru 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 6, 2016 Final 2-2 Draw
80 Paraguay 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 11, 2016 Final 1-0 Paraguay
81 Brazil 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 10, 2016 Final 3-0 Brazil
82 Colombia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 15, 2016 Final 3-0 Argentina
83 Chile 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 23, 2017 Final 1-0 Argentina
84 Bolivia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 28, 2017 Final 2-0 Bolivia
85 Brazil Friendly June 9, 2017 Final 1-0 Argentina
86 Singapore Friendly June 13, 2017 Final 6-0 Argentina
87 Uruguay 2018 World Cup Qualifier August 31, 2017 Final 0-0 Draw
88 Venezuela 2018 World Cup Qualifiers September 5, 2017 Final 1-1 Draw
89 Peru 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 5, 2017 Final 0-0 Draw
90 Ecuador 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 10, 2017 Final 3-1 Argentina
91 Russia Friendly November 11, 2017 Final 1-0 Argentina
92 Nigeria Friendly November 14, 2017 Final 4-2 Nigeria
93 Italy Friendly March 23, 2018 Final 2-0 Argentina

 

If you missed it, here are our 50 World Cup moments:
50: Sergio ROMERO gets 50th cap vs. Switzerland at 2014 FIFA World Cup.
49: Roberto AYALA scores in the 49th minute vs. Germany at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

31 Comments

  1. Switzerland played really well against us in that game, they parked the bus as almost everyone did and had chances mainly produced by counters but COME ON NOW they didn’t play better than us! We had more chances for goal and we had most of possession and control. We didn’t play at our full strength during that wc though, i agree, mainly because our best players apart Mascherano were not fully fit or injured, but still even the Netherlands which was a great team in that wc fielded a 6-3-1 formation against us and we were also the better team in the final. We lost just because we didn’t convert our chances which were more than Germany’s, simple as that.

  2. Many people in this suffers from maradonaesque thinking like we need Icardi, Dybala & every body. Why do we need so many strikers, while we have glaring deficiencies in other department? How many strikers spain/germany is taking? only 3 spots for strikers in those teams.

    We need to play better in back and midfield. We should leave the scoring to messi + midfielders.

    Some people here suggests some how mascherano form has dropped dramatically from 4 years ago based on nigeria/spain matches. While I agree that mascherano has grown older and slower, was mascherano playing in the ultra attacking system like sampaoli’s 4 years ago? Sabella’s defensive system was the reason we reached finals, but we didn’t see the best of messi as a results

    I modern football it is a given that if you need to play attacking system like sampaoli’s you would need atleast 8-9 palyers who tirelessly defend/press. In our 1st eleven, we already have messi who does not defend much. You guys want to add Dybala, Icardi, Aguero in the mix. Have any of you checked their defensive/workrate stats in whoscored/opta etc? We can only play any one of these guys : messi/dybala/icardi/aguero. Rest should be high workrate midfielders who can play both ways

    • I think people in this fotum would some times like to argue for the sake of argunement. How is no. ‘9 post even an issue when you have messi? Changing Choker Higuein either unreliable Aguero or inepts ; Icardi/ Dybalaw’d yield little output for a team dreaming to win the world cup.

      Focus or probe and argue the field that determines a winning WC team. Midfield, attacking full backs and reliable CB walls. Germany won with M.Close an average forward for Lazio and super sup Mario Gotze. But they had unbeatable midfield of T. Kroos, Scwnstriger, ozil, Khedira and unbelievebles of Lahm+ Neur.
      same for Spain and Italy.

      when you have Messi what is the point of fighting and cursing over useless forwardams like Icardi, Higuein, Aguero, and Dybala.

      Actually if any striker has to be missed it is Bendetto.Use the attacking Midfield and wing players like Perotti,Pavon, J. Correa! and even Maria. I am more worried abt the midfield and curious how sampa w’d rectify it. ‘n btw, Acuna for me is two times better than Tagliagico for Left/wing back role.

      • Following are the fifa 18 defender rating of the attackers everybody wants to play here:
        messi: 26
        aguero: 23
        higuain: 25
        dybala: 24
        icardi: 26
        lautaro: 33
        benedetto: 31 (sadly out)
        compare with strikers of rival teams:
        lewandowski: 37
        mandzukic: 67
        diego costa: 40
        neymar: 30
        coutinho: 35
        sandro wagner: 30
        iago aspas: 33
        lucas vazquez: 38
        suarez: 42
        cavani: 42
        greizzmann: 30
        mbappe: 47

        It is clear that we have an overload of creative players who don’t contribute nearly as much in defense. It’s OK if you’re messi, but otherwise not. It is a risk playing 2 of these players together. It is suicide to play 3 of them simultaneously. However it is not that we don’t have any body that runs & defends,
        di maria: 47
        lo celso: 40
        lanzini: 32
        meza: 37
        perotti: 32
        angel correa: 49
        joaquin correa: 37
        We needs to depend on these guys & not dybala icardi

  3. Di maria was great in WC 2018. i think the best position for Di maria is in the midfield not a winger or left forward. di maria plays his best football during mourinho’s era where he plays in the midfield.

    • Very true. If played in wing, Di maria do not have scoring abilities to play their effectively. We should play him in midfield. However we need icardi to be able to benefits from his crossess. I dont think Hugain is good enough in air if he were to indeed to go world cup.

      • I agree. Higuain is very bad in aerials.
        actually he is bad in every aspect.
        he is slow and cant win aerials. and he can’t score goals when needed to do so.

    • Yes. He is excellent at escaping pressure and springing into a counter attack, defends pretty well too with his stamina. Up top his decision making is awful.

    • if this list is true , then kiss the world cup winnig hope goodbye.
      i can not believe that Mascherano and Higuain will be there. especially Higuain , this man is real chocker. he just can not score in big games. i don’t know when Sampaoli will understand that. every one knows this truth except our coaches.

      • Agree on Hugain. I really hope Sampoali bench him in bigger games. I still think against smaller team, he can bully just like his time in Juventus and Real Madrid.

      • If this is true what for Meza had good game against Spain? Mundial without Meza while with Higuain who was mere shit in last friendlies. If this is true Sampaoli’s world is upside down and the guy is idiot.

    • Come on guys who is going to sing lullaby to Messi if Mashcerano is left out!! Who is Sampaoli going to blame for the early exit if Higuain , Injured Biglia and Aguero are left out.. use your brain!!

      • You are harsh on Mascherano. I would still take him as his leadership skills are needed but if i were to select him , it would be in expense of both Huigain and Augero. These two do not deserve to go there. If it were possible, Huigain would even make us miss the world cup entirely.

        • for me id not take mash but if it is for his leadership skills then take him as a member of staff as his n.t playing days should be over now, its a wasted space taking him as a player-a legend for us but his time should be up.

    • Just wait and someone will pop up and say this is false news and people like you easily swallow everything they read and hear.

      I’m really surprised how people are scared of the media and their inability to distinguish the right from the wrong.

      Leaving Meza, Lautaro Martinez, Paredes, Enzo Perez and Bustos behind and taking Biglia, Banega, and Higuain to the WC tells you everything you need to know about the cowardness of Sampaoli.

  4. Is it just me to think our World Cup 2014 was overrated? We rely too much on Messi and luck during last world cup. We were horrible against the teams that decided to attack us. It was pretty boring games we played. I think only Nigeria game was of our quality, other than that we were lucky. However i wish we play better this time and have same luck. Hugain miss still haunt me in world cup final

    • Overrated as in having the best defense of the tournament? The best player? Reaching a final with several of our star players injured? Having thr most (missed) chances in the final? The team was not overrated, it was a gritty no nonsense conservative team by a very astute coach against almost every team parking the bus against us (hence the boredom). The only teams to play open futbol against Argentina where Belgium, Holland and Germany and all games where exiting.. vs Holland to me was the best game of the cup.

      We lost it it due to bad luck, our strikers not converting, injuries and Sabella having called up a weak bench.

      • Nope. I remember Switzerland attacking hell out of us and we had no control on the game what so ever. We were very lucky that they hit post and their striker could not convert from 2 yards. That time, no body was injured. Against Holland, we did not create a single chance and in final we had Hugain lead out attack. If we get that much luck this time around, i am pretty sure we will win the world cup as i think Sampoali is still better coach than Sabella(i think he is still jobless if i am not wrong). Even fu***** Bosnia, they created lot of chances( if you look at the highlights) and we were lucky by post. I think Argentina fans have tendency to give too much credit to history and curse the present situations.

        • Vs Switzerland in which universe? Argentina 63% posession, 29 shots 8 on target, Switzerland 37% posession 15 shots 4 on target, really? They parked the bus all over the match with 1-2 counters.

          • Haha watch the match. Switzerland created tons of chances. It was heart attack watching that game. Swiss were desperately unlucky. Even Sabella conceded after the match that Argentina was not in control of the game by saying “giving ball to Messi was getting water in desert” as it give team some breathing space. Dont be deluded. It is one thing to support Arg. and it is other to deny the truth.

          • Belgium was the only team we beat convincingly. other group matches were due to Leo’s Majic. Swizerland had better chances and i never have seen a wasteful player as Maria as he was constantly dis possessed vs Swiz, despite his final conversion. Every time Lavezzi was playing either as sub or starter including vs Iran is effectiveness and pragmatic was only evident.

          • @perotti Thank you. You stated the exact situation. Even Switzerland coach said after the match that Argentina are nothing without Messi. I actually think 2010 argentina played more attractive football despite tactical blunder by Maradona. I really hope this time around, we use technicial player that can help Messi’s abilities. 100% Messi will beat any team in the world. He just need help and some luck.

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