Argentina's last title was won a full decade ago, when they claimed gold in the Olympic men's football final on Aug. 23, 2008.
A group featuring several future superstars beat Nigeria 1-0 in Beijing to seal first place and was expected to go on and add more international trophies.
ESPN FC takes a look at coach Sergio Batista's squad and sees what has happened to each player in the years since.
Sergio Romero
Manchester United's No. 2 started the 2014 World Cup final as well as the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals. He didn't concede a goal in normal time in any of those matches -- but lost all three.
Ezequiel Garay
The defender had joined Real Madrid before the Olympics but made just 25 appearances before moving to Benfica in 2011. Now at Valencia, he also started the 2014 World Cup final defeat to Germany.
Luciano Monzon
His performances earned him a loan move to Real Betis, but he returned to his native Argentina after just 12 months. Later had spells at Nice, Lyon and Catania.
Pablo Zabaleta
Joined Manchester City six days after winning gold in Beijing and went on to win two Premier League titles. Appeared in two of Argentina's final defeats and is now at West Ham.
Fernando Gago
Gago, now in his second spell at boyhood club Boca Juniors, won two La Liga titles during his five years at Real Madrid and was a substitute in the 2014 World Cup final.
Juan Roman Riquelme
One of Argentina's most gifted players went to China as one of the three overage players for the Albiceleste. He retired in 2015 after a second spell at Boca Juniors, and remains a cult figure in Europe from his spells at Barcelona and Villarreal.
Angel Di Maria
Argentina's match-winner in Beijing, Di Maria has gone on to enjoy success at Real Madrid -- where he was man of the match in their 2014 Champions League victory -- and at Paris Saint-Germain, though the less said about his one year at Manchester United the better.
Nicolas Pareja
The centre-back was at Sevilla for their hat trick of Europa League triumphs between 2014-16, but has only earned one senior cap for his coutnry.
Javier Mascherano
Left Liverpool for Barcelona in 2011 and won the Champions League twice. Now in China with Hebei China Fortune.
Lionel Messi
Messi developed a taste for gold after this match, winning the first of his five Ballon d'Or awards the following year. Was named player of the tournament at the 2014 World Cup, but his international career is on hiatus until the end of the year after Argentina's disappointing 2018 campaign.
Sergio Aguero
The striker was recently described by Alan Shearer as the Premier League's greatest foreigner. Joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid three years after the Olympics, and his last-gasp goal to win them the 2011-12 title is one of English club football's most iconic moments.
Alan Shearer believes Sergio Aguero is the best foreign player to grace the Premier League.
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 22, 2018
Agree or disagree? pic.twitter.com/QQm9SKJXyW
Substitutes
Oscar Ustari
Goalkeeper. Earned two caps and spent six months at Sunderland in 2014 but didn't feature in Beijing.
Federico Fazio
Now a Roma starter following a difficult spell with Tottenham. Currently an Argentina regular.
Jose Sosa
Played for Bayern Munich, Napoli and AC Milan and is now at Trabzonspor.
Ezequiel Lavezzi
A star at Napoli and PSG before joining Hebei China Fortune in 2016, where he was briefly the world's highest-paid player.
Lautaro Acosta
Earned two caps and is now at Lanus. Played in both legs of last year's Copa Libertadores final defeat to Gremio.
Diego Buonanotte
Tragedy befell the promising Buonanotte as his career never fully recovered after he lost control of his car one night in December 2009 and was the sole survivor of a fatal crash.
Nicolas Navarro
Goalkeeper. Became the second-most expensive Argentinian footballer ever after Diego Maradona when he joined -- yes -- Napoli that summer. Now at San Lorenzo.