The Beijing triumph opened a new era of success for Argentine football, ushering in a golden generation led by Lionel Messi. Below is a look at what has happened to every member of that celebrated squad.
Forwards
1 · Lionel Messi — Free agent
Messi supplied the perfectly weighted pass for Ángel Di María’s winner in the final. While he collected every major honour with Barcelona, trophies with the national team long eluded him until the 2021 Copa América. His Barça contract expired in June 2021, and—despite talk of a new five-year deal—he is technically unattached.
2 · Ezequiel Lavezzi — Retired
Then at Napoli, Lavezzi rose to wider fame after a 2012 move to Paris Saint-Germain and played a key role in Argentina’s run to the 2014 World-Cup final. He hung up his boots in 2019 at the age of 35.
3 · Diego Buonanotte — Universidad Católica
The diminutive forward now plies his trade in Chile. Despite early promise, he has never won a senior cap for Argentina.
4 · Lautaro Acosta — Lanús
Acosta waited nine years after Beijing for a first senior call-up, finally appearing under Jorge Sampaoli during the 2018 World-Cup qualifiers. At 33 he is back home with Lanús.
5 · Sergio Agüero — Barcelona
Agüero was an Atlético Madrid starlet in 2008. A 2011 switch to Manchester City made him a club legend before he joined Barcelona on a free transfer after lifting the 2020/21 Premier League trophy.
6 · Ángel Di María — Paris Saint-Germain
Hero of the 2008 final, Di María dazzled for Real Madrid, endured a short spell at Manchester United and has since become indispensable in Paris. He also scored the only goal in the 2021 Copa América final against Brazil.
Midfielders
7 · Javier Mascherano — Retired
One of Argentina’s all-time greats, Mascherano spent his peak years at Barcelona and is second only to Messi for national-team appearances. He retired in 2020 after a brief stint with Estudiantes.
8 · Juan Román Riquelme — Retired
The captain in Beijing, Riquelme was long viewed as Diego Maradona’s heir at Boca Juniors and for the Albiceleste. He retired in 2015 and now serves as Boca’s vice-president.
9 · Éver Banega — Al-Shabab
Banega earned 65 caps and enjoyed successful spells in Spain—particularly with Sevilla, where he won three Europa League titles—before moving to Saudi Arabia.
10 · José Sosa — Fenerbahçe
The elegant central midfielder counts Bayern Munich, Napoli and AC Milan among his former clubs and now turns out for Turkish giants Fenerbahçe.
11 · Fernando Gago — Retired
Gago represented Real Madrid and Valencia before injuries hastened his retirement in 2020.
Defenders
12 · Nicolás Pareja — Retired
Pareja spent much of his career in Spain with Espanyol and Sevilla, ending his playing days in 2019 after a stint with Atlas in Mexico.
13 · Federico Fazio — AS Roma
Fazio moved from Sevilla to Tottenham Hotspur and later found a regular home at Roma, where he continues to compete in Serie A.
14 · Pablo Zabaleta — Retired
A cult hero at Manchester City, Zabaleta closed out his career with West Ham and retired in 2020.
15 · Fabián Monzón — Atlético Tucumán
Primarily active in South America, Monzón is still playing domestically for Atlético Tucumán at 34.
16 · Ezequiel Garay — Retired
Signed by Real Madrid after the Games, Garay never cemented a spot there but excelled elsewhere in Spain. He left Valencia and retired in 2020.
Goalkeepers
17 · Nicolás Navarro — Retired
Called up when Oscar Ustari was injured, Navarro never saw Olympic action. He spent a nomadic club career across Argentina, Italy, Mexico and Turkey before retiring at 36.
18 · Sergio Romero — Free agent
The first-choice keeper in Beijing, Romero amassed 96 caps but lost his spot to Emiliano Martínez. A reliable deputy at Manchester United from 2015 to 2021, he is currently without a club.
19 · Oscar Ustari — Pachuca
Early injuries hampered Ustari’s international ambitions, limiting him to two senior caps. After spells with Getafe, Sunderland, Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys, he is seeing out his playing days with Pachuca in Mexico.