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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Blow

Lionel Messi, Man Utd woe and retirees: Where Argentina's 2014 World Cup final XI are now

On Sunday, Lionel Messi will play in his second World Cup final when Argentina take on France at the Lusail Stadium - eight years after they lost 1-0 to Germany in Brazil.

Messi, 35, will get the chance to avenge that narrow defeat at the Maracana Stadium, but the same can't be said about the other members of that team. He is the only one to remain part of Argentina's squad, as Angel Di Maria didn't play against Germany.

So, what's happened to the late Alejandro Sabella's starting XI from the 2014 final? Here, Mirror Football takes a look at their respective careers to find out the answer.

Sergio Romero - Boca Juniors

Romero, now 35, won 96 caps for Argentina between 2009 and 2018 - yet he never managed to get his hands on a major international trophy. The goalkeeper was also part of the squads that lost the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals to Chile on penalties.

Romero was Sampdoria's reserve team goalkeeper at the time of the 2014 World Cup but became a household name following a series of good performances in Brazil. Manchester United snapped him up in July 2015 to become David de Gea's understudy.

Sergio Romero joined Manchester United after starring at the 2014 World Cup (Getty Images)

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The Argentine went on to play 61 times for Man Utd and started their Europa League final victory against Ajax in May 2017. He left Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 after falling behind Dean Henderson in the pecking order and is now on Boca Juniors' books.

"It was a strange year for me [his final season at Man Utd], but I trained all year at Manchester United," said Romero in October 2021. "Some days I was training by myself, because the squad was preparing for a game."

Pablo Zabaleta - Pundit

Pablo Zabaleta is now working as a pundit (BBC)

Zabaleta, now 37, was regarded as one of the best right-backs in Europe in 2014 after winning two Premier League titles in three seasons at Manchester City. The former Espanyol defender stayed at the Etihad until his contract expired in June 2017.

Zabaleta went on to spend another three seasons in the Premier League with West Ham before calling it a day when the Covid pandemic started in 2020. He's now working as a pundit and is part of BBC Sport's coverage for the ongoing World Cup.

Martin Demichelis - Manager

Martin Demichelis spent three years at Manchester City (Getty Images)

Alongside Zabaleta in Argentina's defence against Germany was Demichelis, who was another one of their Man City players. The former Bayern Munich star, now 41, stayed at the Etihad until his contract expires in June 2016 - playing more than 100 games for Man City.

Demichelis enjoyed brief spells at Spanish clubs Espanyol and Malaga before retiring in May 2017 to become the latter side's assistant manager. He's since coached at Bayern and was appointed as Argentinian outfit River Plate's new manager in November.

Ezequiel Garay - Businessman

Ezequiel Garay's career ended after he left Valencia in the summer of 2020 (Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Garay, now 36, was linked with a move to the Premier League after the 2014 final but joined Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg from Benfica instead. He moved to Valencia in August 2016 before an anterior cruciate ligament injury ended his career in February 2020.

Garay tried to make a comeback - as Liverpool were reportedly interested in signing him - but hung up his boots in July 2021 after failing to find a new club. It's believed he started a real estate development in Valencia in September 2021.

Marcos Rojo - Boca Juniors

Marcos Rojo suffered a serious injury ahead of the World Cup (Getty Images)

Rojo, now 32, was one of the finds of the 2014 World Cup thanks to his impressive displays in Brazil. Louis van Gaal brought the defender to Man Utd after the tournament, but injuries restricted him to just 122 appearances over the next six seasons.

Rojo has not retired and was part of Argentina's squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but hasn't played for his country since 2019. His hopes of a recall for the ongoing tournament were dashed when he suffered a serious knee injury while playing for Boca in October.

Javier Mascherano - Manager

Javier Mascherano is now in charge of Argentina's U20s (Daily Mirror)

Mascherano, now 38, was one of Argentina's most notable players at the 2014 World Cup after winning plenty of trophies at Barcelona. The former Liverpool midfielder left the Camp Nou in January 2018 to join Chinese club Hebei China Fortune.

Mascherano played 54 games in China before returning to Argentina to play for Estudiantes in November 2019. He called it a day 12 months later and became Argentina's U20 coach in December 2021 - with an U20 World Cup pencilled in for next year.

"I would become a coach," Mascherano admitted in 2015. "As a player, things are easier, but it gets more complicated when you go on the other side. I want to pass on everything my coaches taught me. In football, things go full circle."

Lucas Biglia - Istanbul Basaksehir

Lucas Biglia played at the 2018 World Cup in Russia (Getty Images)

Biglia, now 36, played alongside Mascherano in the heart of Argentina's midfield against Germany and continued to represent his country until their defeat to France in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup. The former Anderlecht ace won 58 senior caps for Argentina.

Biglia was playing for Lazio at the time of the 2014 tournament and remained in the Italian capital until he joined AC Milan in July 2017. The midfielder then switched to Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk in September 2020 before moving to Istanbul Basaksehir last summer.

Enzo Perez - River Plate

Enzo Perez hasn't played for Argentina since 2018 (Getty Images)

Perez, now 36, was another member of Sabella's midfield in the 2014 final and his solid displays persuaded Valencia to sign him from Benfica six months after the tournament. The last of his 26 senior caps for Argentina came at the 2018 World Cup.

Perez left Valencia for River in June 2017 and has remained at the Argentinian club ever since. He's achieved significant success at the Estadio Monumental, winning eight trophies - including their famous 2018 Copa Libertadores final triumph against rivals Boca.

Lionel Messi - Paris Saint-Germain

Lionel Messi led Argentina to Copa America glory in July 2021 (Getty Images)

Messi was regarded as one of the world's best footballers in 2014 - and little has changed since. The Paris Saint-Germain star is still scoring goals freely at club and international level, finding the net 17 times this season - with five of those coming at the World Cup.

The most significant event during Messi's career in recent years was his move from Barcelona to PSG in the summer of 2021 after he became a free agent. He finally won an international trophy when Argentina defeated Brazil in last year's Copa America final.

Messi is now determined to go out in style by winning Sunday's World Cup final. He told reporters on Wednesday: "I am very happy for finishing my journey in World Cups in a final, to play the last game in a final. That is really very gratifying.

"Everything I lived in this World Cup has been emotional, seeing how much it has been enjoyed in Argentina. There are a lot of years from this year to the next one. I don't think I will be able to do that. To finish this way is brilliant."

Ezequiel Lavezzi - Retired

Ezequiel Lavezzi hung up his boots in 2019 (Getty Images)

Lavezzi, now 37, was a regular for Argentina until their 2016 Copa America defeat to Chile - their third major final loss in three years. Four months before that game, the forward left PSG to join Hebei China Fortune and spent three-and-a-half years at the club.

Lavezzi hung up his boots on leaving Hebei China Fortune in November 2019. He hasn't moved into coach and appears to be enjoying retirement after earning a fortune in Asia. The former Napoli star was reportedly paid £162,000-a-week by his Chinese employers.

Gonzalo Higuain - Retired

Gonzalo Higuain called time on his career in October (Getty Images)

Higuain, now 35, was Argentina's centre-forward against Germany and remained in the team until their World Cup exit in 2018. Juventus signed him from Napoli in £75.3million deal in July 2019 to become the third-most expensive player in history.

The former Real Madrid star won three Serie A titles at Juventus before spells with AC Milan and Chelsea. He called time on his career two months ago after a solid stint at MLS side Inter Miami, who are co-owned by ex-England skipper David Beckham.

Higuain's international career will forever be remembered for his miss in the 2014 final, when he failed to test Manuel Neuer in a one-on-one opportunity. "It was an unexpected chance," he told Fox Sports in 2019. "I was there, but unfortunately I couldn't take it."

Higuain added: "I did the first thing that came to my mind, but I don't know if I'd do the same thing today. It came to me 15 metres out and as soon as I turned I had the goal in front of me. It looked easier than it was."

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