(Reuters) - Argentina's squad for Sunday's World Cup final against Germany comprises the following 23 players:

Goalkeepers:Sergio Romero (Monaco). Age 27; 53 caps. The 1.92 meters tall goalkeeper was the hero of Argentina's semi-final penalty shootout win against the Netherlands, saving two and celebrating wildly in what will be an abiding image of their run to the final. Argentina's first choice since the late stages of qualification for the 2010 tournament but struggling for games at Monaco, Romero has let in just three goals in Argentina's six matches in Brazil. Two of those came in the 3-2 win over Nigeria in the group stage. Romero has had some other crucial moments in the tournament, including several superb saves against Iran that stopped the Asians taking a shock lead when they were drawing 0-0.

Mariano Andujar (Catania). Age 30; 10 caps. The tallest man in the squad has plenty to look forward to after the World Cup with a move to Napoli, but has had little to do in Brazil due to Romero's fantastic form.

Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors). Age 33; 3 caps. One of just four players in the squad playing club football in Argentina, Orion too has been left on the bench throughout.

DEFENDERS

Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City). Age 29; 42 caps. After a highly successful youth career, Zabaleta had to wait for his first taste of a World Cup and has been one of Argentina's best performers in Brazil. The ever-present right back's marauding runs have been integral to Argentina's attacks, but he has not neglected duties at the back either, doing particularly well to contain Arjen Robben in the semi-final against the Dutch.

Federico Fernandez (Napoli). Age 25; 30 caps. The uncompromising, 1.91-metre center back played in all three group stages and the last-16 win over Switzerland, but did not particularly impress and was dropped for the latter stages.

Ezequiel Garay (Benfica). Age 27; 24 caps. The strong and speedy center back, who comes from Lionel Messi's home town of Rosario, has become a favorite of coach Alejandro Sabella. A leader on the pitch who never shirks a tackle or header, Garay's reliability is perhaps exemplified by his impressive 88 percent pass success rate so far in Brazil.

Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon). Age 24; 27 caps. A product of Estudiantes club's youth scheme, the left back grabbed a goal off his knee in the 3-2 win over Nigeria during the group stage. Having impressed in the early games and won over detractors at home, Rojo was disappointed to miss the quarter-final against Belgium due to suspension but came back to hold the line against the Netherlands' much-vaunted strike force in the semi.

Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan). Age 34; 16 caps. The utility defender has only played a bit part in the tournament, with a 46-minute appearance in the 2-1 win over Bosnia in the group stage. Sabella was criticized, not for Campagnaro's performance, but for using an extra defender. When he was taken off and Argentina reverted to their preferred 4-3-3, the team looked far more threatening.

Jose Basanta (Monterrey). Age 30; 12 caps. Another defender to begin his career at Estudiantes, the versatile Basanta first won a place to play away to Bolivia at high altitude in La Paz a year ago given his experience of rarefied air at his Mexican club. Sabella has used him twice in Brazil, coming on for extra-time against the Swiss in the last 16 then replacing Rojo for the Belgium quarter-final. "I was an unknown and now I'm here, I've fulfilled my dream," he said afterwards.

Martin Demichelis (Manchester City). Age 33; 40 caps. The tall center back, who is a veteran of the 2010 World Cup under then coach Diego Maradona, has got his chance in the latter stage of the tournament, playing in both Argentina's quarter-final and semi-final. In both games, he gave assured performances both in the air and on the floor.

MIDFIELDERS

Javier Mascherano (Barcelona). Age 30 (June 8) 104 caps. The "Little Chief" captained Argentina at the 2010 finals in South Africa but lost that position to Barcelona team mate Lionel Messi for Brazil. Nevertheless, he has shown great leadership skills on and off the pitch, and has the respect of the whole squad. A fine ball winner and distributor who provides solidity in midfield as a platform for Argentina's flair attackers, his World Cup was typified in the semi-final against the Netherlands when he flung himself full length to block an Arjen Robben shot on goal. "It was Mascherano and 10 others," Maradona said. Mascherano has played all 600 minutes of Argentina's six matches.

Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors). Age 28; 54 caps. Another player with a fantastic pass-completion rate (88 percent), Gago has been a key cog in Sabella's midfield and started the first four games. Nicknamed "Pintita" (good looker), Gago lost his place, however, to Lucas Biglia for the quarter-final perhaps due to the latter's superior marking ability, and he looks unlikely to regain it for the final.

Lucas Biglia (Lazio). Age 28; 25 caps. Normally a stand-in for Mascherano or Gago, the battling Biglia came into the starting lineup for the quarter-final and semi-final as Sabella sought more bite to stop more skilful opponents.

Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo). Age 28; 9 caps. A member of the River Plate team who won the national league title under Diego Simeone in 2008, Fernandez has not had a look in to Argentina's star-studded midfield during the tournament after his last-minute inclusion in the squad following a muscle injury.

Maxi Rodriguez (Newell's Old Boys). Age 33; 57 caps. The right winger nicknamed "Fiera" (wildcat) for his never-say-die attitude is normally used as a reserve. He played one half of Argentina's opening win against Bosnia and then came on in extra time for the semi-final against the Netherlands. He made his mark, however, by scoring the winning penalty in the shootout that took Argentina to the finals.

Ricky Alvarez (Inter Milan). Age 26; 8 caps. A skilled, busy right-sided midfielder who earned his transfer to Inter on the back of his performances in Velez Sarsfield's Argentine league championship victory in 2011, Alvarez has made just one substitute's appearance in the game against Nigeria.

Enzo Perez (Benfica). Age 28; 10 caps. A fast midfielder who can play on either flank or in the middle, Perez has only figured in two games, coming on to replacing the injured Di Maria against Belgium then starting against the Netherlands. In those games, Perez has been able to maintain some of the spark down Argentina's flanks lost by Di Maria's absence. Perez was in Sabella's Estudiantes side that won the Libertadores Cup in Brazil, beating Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte in 2009, along with reserve goalkeeper Andujar.

Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid). Age 26; 52 caps. A slim, dynamic left winger nicknamed "Fideo" (noodle) who pops up all over the attack, Di Maria injured a thigh in the quarter-final against Belgium and is fighting to regain fitness and be able to play a part in Sunday's final. Prior to the injury, Di Maria had never really hit top gear although he did appear to be improving as the tournament went on and scored a crucial late winner against Switzerland in the last-16 game from a layoff by Messi. Very hard to mark, and capable of both scoring and making goals for others with brilliant passes, Di Maria's creativity and dribbling will be sorely missed against the Germans given it appears impossible he will be recovered in time.

FORWARDS

Lionel Messi (Barcelona). Age 27; 92 caps. The world's best player has lived up to his billing and been Argentina's star performer. Messi's four goals in the first stage helped Argentina top their group, while as team captain he also showed passion and authority on the pitch. His brilliant left-foot curling winner against Iran is one of the goals of the World Cup. And though not scoring since the first round, he was the provider of a late goal to beat the Swiss in the last 16, and has been at the heart of all Argentina's best play. Belgium and the Netherlands sought to swarm him in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively, forcing Messi to go deeper but still taking pressure of teammates. Argentines may have sometimes doubted his patriotism in the past, given he left for Spain at an early age to join Barcelona's youth setup and had been quiet in two previous World Cups, but they will never do so again. Now the stage is set for Messi to emulate Diego Maradona, with whom he is so often compared, and bring the World Cup home.

Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli). Age 26; 42 caps. After a relatively quiet tournament until then, Higuain finally showed his brilliant finishing in the quarter-final with an instinctive shot against Belgium that they never recovered from. An intelligent player who prefers to run onto passes but can also do a good job with his back to goal holding the ball up, Higuain will be hoping to repeat the trick on Sunday.

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City). Age 26; 55 caps. Nicknamed "Kun" after a Japanese cartoon character, Aguero is a potent and agile striker who links up very well with Messi. A regular scorer for Manchester City, and with 21 Argentina goals, Aguero has not yet found the net in Brazil however. He pulled a muscle in the last group game against Nigeria but, having come on as a late substitute in the semi-final and scored a penalty in the shootout, he appears fully fit again and is raring to start against Germany. Aguero is the father of Maradona's first grandson Benjamin.

Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan). Age 32; 26 caps. Used as a reserve striker, the tactically astute Palacio has made four substitute appearances but failed to make a big impact in Brazil and missed a gilt-edged chance to score against the Netherlands and avoid the penalty shootout. An exception to the recent rule that Argentine talents move to Europe young, Palacio left Boca Juniors for Genoa at 27 in 2009 and moved on to Inter in 2012.

Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris St Germain). Age 29; 36 caps.

"Pocho" (chubby one) is a temperamental, skilled forward who has at times got on the wrong side of officials but at others thrilled fans with his skills and speed. Used as a substitute in the group stages, Lavezzi has then been in the starting lineup doing an important job tracking back into defensive positions but had little chance to shine in attack though he put across a couple of dangerous crosses. A joker in the squad, he may be best remembered in Brazil for squirting water over Alejandro Sabella on the pitchside looking to ease the coach's nerves.