Messi, Aguero, Di Maria, Tevez, Mascherano, Pastore, Higuain. I could go on.

It is an ominous list of top talent - a group who have torn club football to bits in recent years. Trophies, medals, awards, gongs; whatever you want to call them, they've got them. However, this group (and a number of their predecessors) are 22 years without a major international trophy to their name, since the 1993 Copa America in Ecuador.

They've been close (including runners-up in the last World Cup) but so far remain cigar-less.

Image source, Getty Images

Golden Generation. Is there a bigger tag with which to burden an international football team?

Some thrive, some fail. The French side of 1998-2006 coped pretty well, as did Spain soon after, and it is a brave person who argues against the merits and success of the Brazil team that graced the world from 1958-1970.

However, as we all know so well, England’s own version – Beckham, Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard, Owen et al – stood tall at times (5-1 anyone?) but ultimately buckled under the weight, while the Portugal side of Rui Costa, Nuno Gomes and Luis Figo similarly underachieved.

And so we come to Argentina, who so far have been more Sven Goran than Carlos Alberto, but tonight have the chance to start justifying the hype by following World Cup silver with Copa gold.

Image source, AFP