Martin Demichelis suffered the biggest disappointment of his playing career when Jose Pekerman left him out of the Argentina squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Far from letting that shock omission get him down, the Bayern Munich man vowed to do everything he could to attract the attention of Pekerman’s successors. His determination paid off when Alfio Basile handed him a recall and Diego Maradona confirmed his place in the side as the natural heir to Roberto Ayala.
A secure presence in the centre of defence, Micho, as he has been known since his early days at River Plate, can also operate in a holding role in midfield. A Bayern player since 2003, Demichelis earned promotion to La Albiceleste two years later and scored his first goal for his country in a 2007 friendly against Australia in Sydney.
A commanding central defender, Demichelis is strong in the air and also possesses the ability to time covering tackles to perfection. He chalked up 14 matches in the South Africa 2010 qualifying tournament, making a return from a troubling injury for the all-important decider against Uruguay. There is little doubt he will be one of Maradona’s first-choice defenders when Argentina embark on their quest for a third FIFA World Cup title in June.
