On July 2, 2005, Argentina's U-20 National Team reached glory again by being crowned world champion in the Netherlands, after defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the final held in Utrecht. Led by Francisco Ferraro, that team was the breeding ground for a generation that would leave its mark on Argentine football for the following decades. Lionel Messi, at just 18 years old, was the tournament's standout player: top scorer, best player of the championship, and scorer of both goals in the final, both from the penalty spot.
However, Messi was not alone. Surrounded by a talented, committed, and promising group, the Albiceleste displayed effective and exciting football, combining defensive solidity, midfield dynamism, and attacking talent. Twenty years later, that youth title is still remembered as a turning point in the recent history of Argentine football, and its protagonists left very different marks: some reached global stardom, others developed solid careers, and several ended up in anonymity or far from the spotlight.
In this article, we review what happened to the eleven starters who lifted the trophy in 2005 to understand how the path continued for those young men who once wore the sky blue and white with glory.
Óscar Ustari (goalkeeper)
After his debut with Independiente, he had a long career in Spain and Mexico. In September 2024, he signed with Inter Miami, where he is a starter and Messi's teammate. In 2025, he renewed for one more year and was a key player in the Concachampions and the Club World Cup.
Julio Barroso (right back)
After spells with Boca and Racing, he established himself in Chilean football, where he played for Colo Colo and Everton de Viña del Mar. He retired in 2023 and is currently an assistant coach for the Chilean team.
Ezequiel Garay (first center back)
He had an outstanding career in Europe: he played for Real Madrid, Benfica, Zenit, and Valencia. He was part of the team that finished runner-up in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He retired in 2021 and since then has been developing personal sports projects.
Gabriel Paletta (second center back)
He played for Liverpool, Boca, and excelled at Parma and Milan. He played in the 2014 World Cup with the Italian national team. He retired in 2023 at Monza, with more than 380 professional matches.
Lautaro Formica (left back)
Trained at Newell’s, he spent almost his entire career in Argentina's lower divisions. He also played for clubs in Paraguay, Chile, and Ecuador. He is now retired (his last club was Defensores de Belgrano) and is involved in regional football.
Fernando Gago (central midfielder)
He excelled at Boca, Real Madrid, and Valencia. He retired at Vélez in 2020. In 2025, he is the coach of Necaxa in Mexico, after managing Aldosivi, Racing, and Boca.
