Argentina rules youth football, titles escape its grown men

Argentina's young, up-and-coming stars may have won the under-20s world championships in Canada on Sunday, but that lies in sharp contrast with the national team's bitter defeat exactly one week earlier at the hands of Brazil, in the final of the Copa America in Venezuela.

 The contrast is quickly becoming a trend. Out of seven under-20 world championships since 1995, Argentina has won five (1995, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007).

 Over the same period, however, the national team now coached by Alfio Basile has played in three World Cups, five editions of the Copa America and one Confederations Cup.

 In all those tournaments, Argentina - always billed as one of the favourites in any competition - managed to get no further than runner-up in the Copa America in Peru 2004 and Venezuela 2007, and in the Confederations Cup in Germany 2005. In all cases it lost the final to arch-rival Brazil.

 It has happened time and again: Argentina's youngsters sow hope and success, and the grown squad reaps doubts and disappointment.

 "The time has come to celebrate," Argentina's daily Clarin said in its headline on Monday.

 One week earlier that same newspaper had said "Argentina suffered a nightmare" at the final of the Copa America.

 The country's under-20 squad saw Diego Maradona lift the trophy as world champion in 1979, but he was among the last to repeat the feat at the grown-up level in 1986. The likes of Juan Roman Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, Javier Saviola, Fernando Gago and Lionel Messi have so far failed to follow up on youth football success.

 While Argentina wonders where the short-circuit is, many claim that a footballer like Sergio Aguero - the top scorer of the youth tournament in Canada and part of the winning under-20 squad two years ago in the Netherlands - should long have been included in the top national team despite being only 19.

 Others, however, complain that young Argentine talents migrate to Europe too early, before having time to consolidate their football talents.

 "The responsibility lies, more likely, with a system that allows the Fazios and the Insuas to be already at Sevilla or Liverpool, before completing their natural development in the country and without having played much," Daniel Arcucci said in a column in the daily La Nacion, speaking of players Federico Fazio and Emiliano Insua.

 As memories of top international titles fade further away, Argentine fans have been less and less able to see their representatives on the football pitch. They do not get to see players like Javier Zanetti or Hernan Crespo on a weekly basis because they have been playing in Europe for years. And some, like Lionel Messi, even started as professionals abroad.

 In this context, many now demand that national coach Basile field the young stars. But by the time they are in their late twenties and they have been playing abroad for years, the same reproaches are likely to come up - it has happened before with other Argentine wonderkids.

 Until someone comes up with a solution, however, others settle with what they have.

 "They are kids, but they look like grown ups," Argentine sports daily Ole celebrated the latest youth world championship.

DPA