Argentina vs. England – 2005 friendly: Hernan Crespo, Juan Riquelme, Walter Samuel, David Beckham

By
Roy Nemer
-
31

Argentina vs. England – 2005 friendly, Juan Riquelme, Walter Samuel, David Beckham

Always one to entertain, Argentina vs. England from 2005 was the last time these two countries met in a football match.

There’s the clash in 1966 at the World Cup, the Diego Maradona show in 1986, the World Cup classic in 1998 and tthe not-so-classic sequel four years after that. However, back on November 12, 2005 in Geneva, these two served up a friendly match to remember.

Five goals, a match full of stars and for Argentina, despite being on the losing end, it was a match which showed how dominant they can be. Both teams had qualified for the 2006 World Cup which was coming up the next year and both teams had fielded a very strong squad.

Jose Pekerman managed Argentina with the following line-up:

Roberto Abbondanzieri
Roberto Ayala
Juan Pablo Sorin
Javier Zanetti
Martin Demichelis
Walter Samuel
Maxi Rodriguez
Juan Roman Riquelme
Hernan Crespo
Esteban Cambiasso
Carlos Tevez

Javier Saviola, Fabricio Coloccini, Julio Cruz and Lucho Gonzalez would come on as substitutes.

Of those 15, Javier Zanetti, Martin Demichelis and Walter Samuel would miss out on the big show in Germany a few months later.

The opening 10 minutes saw Walter Samuel completely boss David Beckham off the ball with this challenge.

Argentina would create a lot of chance and it would be Hernan Crespo who would score first and give Argentina the 1-0 lead. Maxi Rodriguez would play a pass into the penalty area which would take a deflection and Crespo with a poacher like finish would score his 29th goal for his country.

Wayne Rooney would equalise five minutes later as it would be 1-1 going into half time.

Argentina would be awarded a free kick in the second half. Up stepped Juan Roman Riquelme as the Villarreal man would send a cross in which would find Demichelis and he would head the ball towards the net but it would be Roberto Ayala who would score to give re-give Argentina the lead.

Juan Roman Riquelme would boss the midfield and dictate the match. From passes to crosses to shielding the ball, this was a vintage Riquelme performance. Riquelme would be substituted off in the 84th minute for Lucho Gonzalez and England would score twice afterwards, with less than 6 minutes left on the clock. A foreshadow of things to come at the World Cup.

Here are the match highlights and the full match.

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31 Comments

  3. Sensational and intensive match! I have seldom seen a friendly match with so many faults. Thx for the post. On the picture, you see one of the most overrated player ever called Beckham and one of the most underrated player to me who is Maxi Rodriguez. Riquelme was at his top, that was during his best years at Villareal. Even though we lost, I was so bullish for Argentina in 2006, in this era, only Brazil had better team on the paper. Spain and Netherlands were not bad but most of the players were too young.

    • Yh mate very underrated maxi Rodriguez Goal score midfielder
      I remember still His goal vs Mexico.
      I was watching BBC English commentator .. he said as this Oh it’s great goal by maxi Rodriguez what hit.. screaming.. and I was running around My house shouting. football it’s emotional Game it’s very beautiful when it goes Your way but it’s horrible, so painful.
      When it goes against you…..

  9. Since I’m setting home doing nothing
    Because of lock down for this calamity.
    I want share my best 23 for copa 21
    If everything goes according to plan.
    Goalkeepers
    Musso
    Andrada
    Marchesín
    Defenders
    Tagliafico
    Lich Martinez
    Martinez Quarta
    C Romero
    Marcos senesi
    G montiel
    Juan foyth

    Midfielders
    Parades
    Lo celso
    Dominguez
    Palacios
    De pual
    Fausto vera
    Alexis MacAllister.

    Attackers
    Messi
    Martinez
    Ocampos
    Aguero
    Dybala
    Alario.

    My line up
    Musso

    Montiel…. Quarta….. lich Martinez/senesi ..tagliafico

    …………… paredes……….

    De pual…………………. palacios

    ………… lo celso………

    Messi……. Martinez

    I picked fausto vera based his potential.
    He could follow the foot step of javier.
    I take foyth hoping he will play next season.
    Also his versatility that he can play cb Rb.
    Or holding midfielder if required it.
    Same goes lich Martinez can play
    Three different positions comfortable
    So therefore you don’t those kinda profile
    Players..
    Marcos senesi is strong left sided defender
    Strong in the air reasonably with the ball
    Plus he can develop further
    I will pick leo balerdi and N Perez over
    C Romero and Marcos senesi if they
    Starting play their respective teams
    Next season.

    .

    • If we choose Licha Martinez,Quarta Martinez,Montiel and Tagliafico as backline then who is gonna to take care of our goalpost in corner kick,free kick and dead ball situation.They are all short.Otamendi and Pezella are must they are good in taking header and have much experience.

      • Instead of otamendi a young defender like balerdi or Cristian romero (,tall guys)could be taken since otamendi form with his club has started to diminish,quarta and tagliafico are good defenders and have experience, meanwhile instead of montiel as rb foyth(he played brilliantly at copa19 regardless of his situation at his club) or romero could be tried and as CB pair balerdi or pezella either of the two along with Marco senesi could be tried and finally in lb position nicolas tagliafico(1st choice) licha Martinez 2nd choice and finally jonathan Silva as 3rd choice because he has good height could be tried

    • This unexperienced defense would be a catashtrophe, even Bielsa played with experienced defenders with his brand new experimental team in Copa 2004. this is not playstation bro.

        • Hhhh otamendi will be 33 and damn sure
          He won’t get any better German pezzella
          Has case but he is too slow. now days
          Football has been played high tempo.
          Plus C Romero and Quarta has enough
          Experience.

          • Quarta has never played against top class opoonents in UCL, he has zero experience on the highest level. Romero sometimes against Juventus, Inter or Napoli and thats all. Otamendi is still the best argentine centre back even with his age. (experience, passing, leadership, in the air etc.)

      • I understand this ain’t playstation dude but you need to inject new players at some point and for continuity sake only I suggested pezella to be in starting eleven,juan foyth and tagliafico already played for NT at copa2019 and in case of otamendi he was one of the best defenders before but right now his form has started to diminish and he has huge anger issues as seen in wc 2018 so for this reason otamendi has to be replaced and cristian romero(most likely to play for juventus next season) or Marco senesi or nehuen perez could be his perfect replacement in NT

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