Sometimes just a look is all that’s needed. Other times a shout is required. Or a moment that sparks a move, whether driving forward into space, dropping back, or linking up with team-mates. Partnerships in football are notoriously hard to predict. Fielding two great players together offers no guarantee they will gel on the pitch and it goes without saying that for two top players to click, they must be on the same page in every aspect of the game.
Argentina’s U-20 sides have been blessed with some of the most captivating and memorable partnerships in the history of the game. Successful partnerships often go hand in hand with titles and silverware. The Albiceleste are the most successful nation in the tournament, racking up six titles along the way (1979, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007), and several of those were won with special partnerships that left their mark on the game.
With the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™ just around the corner, taking place from 27 September to 19 October, we take a look back at some of the memorable Argentinian partnerships that have gone down in history.
Ramon Diaz-Diego Maradona (Japan 1979)
Whilst both players had yet to turn 20, both had plenty of first-division experience under their belts. Ramon Diaz, a pacey forward and a fine finisher, was River Plate’s star player at a time when Boca Juniors, under Juan Carlos Lorenzo, had just won back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles in 1977 and 1978. Diego Maradona, the legendary No10 and a gifted talent from La Paternal, hailed by fans as the world’s greatest breeding ground for talent, was the hottest name on everyone’s lips in Argentina at the time.
With Cesar Luis Menotti at the helm, fresh from Argentina’s 1978 FIFA World Cup triumph, the team boasted a plethora of technically gifted players, but its real strength lay in its prolific partnership in attack. Argentina brushed aside every opponent, winning all their games in the tournament. Diaz bagged eight goals and Maradona got himself on the scoresheet six times. Between them, they scored 14 of the team’s 20 goals.
That was enough for Maradona to win the Golden Ball and Silver Boot, while Diaz claimed the Golden Boot and Silver Ball.
Pablo Aimar-Juan Roman Riquelme (Malaysia 1997)
Jose Pekerman was the architect of one of the most enthralling partnerships in football. Pablo Aimar was one of River Plate’s greatest ever talents. Juan Roman Riquelme was the cream of the crop for Boca Juniors. They were fierce rivals at club level, but best friends off the pitch.
Aimar used to don the number 10 shirt, yet Riquelme, who sported the number 8 shirt, operated more like a 10 than he did. El Payaso, who was much quicker and nimbler than his counterpart, used to cause nightmares for the opposition defence with his dazzling, mazy runs. Together with Berni Romeo, a prolific goalscorer known for his excellent hold-up play, they operated through the channels, while full-backs Serrizuela on the right and Placente on the left provided width. In the middle of the park, Cambiasso and Scaloni provided balance and defensive cover, with the latter occasionally venturing forward to join in with the attacks.
Aimar and Riquelme were always looking to pick each other out. Whenever the Boca man lifted his head up and spotted the pacey River man, the pass would invariably follow. Sometimes, they would link up with a quick give-and-go. Or they would just recycle the ball. Dispossessing them was no mean feat. All eyes were on them, while they carved out space around them.
They were exceptional players. They would almost always shine whenever they took to the pitch and Pekerman knew exactly what made them tick. They were masters of their trade who thrived on freedom, inspiration, and enjoyment on the pitch. Both on and off the pitch, Riquelme and Aimar, the Bronze Ball winner, shared a genuine understanding built on mutual respect.
“The Riquelme-Aimar partnership was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The whole team benefitted from playing alongside them. On a personal level, it was amazing to be on the same pitch as them. My diagonal runs often left me one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Either Pablo or Roman would be wreaking havoc, or I’d draw the marker away from them so they could score themselves,” Bernardo Romeo, the team’s starting striker with four goals at the tournament, told FIFA.
Andres D’Alessandro-Javier Saviola (Argentina 2001)
Apart from Maradona, none of the aforementioned players were as established in the top flight as Javier Saviola, who was already running riot at River Plate and was destined for bigger and better things in Europe. It was Barcelona who moved quickly to secure his signature as soon as the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship drew to a close. D’Alessandro, meanwhile, had only been handed his debut just a year earlier and was still far from a regular starter in the star-studded side.
San Lorenzo’s Leandro Romagnoli looked set to keep his place in the side, but D’Alessandro kept knocking at the door and impressing Pekerman and Hugo Tocalli, until they finally gave him a chance. Despite only managing to provide one assist for Saviola, which came in their final match against Ghana, his intelligent movement and runs created space and opportunities for Argentina’s No7.
El Conejo was awarded the Golden Ball and also got his hands on the Golden Boot, scoring 11 goals along the way, the highest ever by a player in a single edition of the tournament. D’Alessandro was awarded the Bronze Ball.
“What Javier did was absolutely incredible. He was one of the most experienced players in our team. He led the line for us. He was the player we had to find, provide chances for, and set up so he could score for us.” D’ Alessandro said.
Lionel Messi-Fernando Gago (the Netherlands 2005)
At the 2005 edition of the tournament, head coach Francisco Ferraro went with a 4-4-2 formation, with Lionel Messi given the freedom to roam around in attack. Fernando Gago was deployed in the middle of the park and was expected to run the show and pull the strings. While Gago’s assist for La Pulga might not make the tournament highlights, the midfielder was the team’s lynchpin and was always looking to get Messi on the ball, something he would replicate nearly ten years later at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™.
Gago was Boca Juniors’ hottest prospect at the youth academy and had cemented his place in the first team under Alfio Basile. Before long, he was the key man for his side, winning every trophy in sight before being lured away to Real Madrid.
Messi, however, had only featured nine times for Barcelona, but there was no doubt that he was La Masia’s brightest talent. He had to watch on from the bench at the beginning of the tournament, but quickly earned his place in the side and became the star of the tournament. He was awarded the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, bagging six goals in the process.
“What stood out about Messi was his brilliance out wide, and I think we all knew deep down that he would go on to become the greatest winger of all time. Messi wasn’t just the best winger. He was also the best attacking midfielder when played there, the best striker when he was deployed up front, and I’m sure he’d even be the best central midfielder if he played there,” said Gustavo Oberman, who played alongside him in attack for most of the tournament, in an interview with FIFA.
