May 26, 2002

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) -- At some point before the June 2 opening game with Nigeria, Argentina's squad will meet privately and cast ballots to decide who will be team captain.

Unlike other coaches, Marcelo Bielsa has always allowed his players to decide who will lead the team.

And it's always been a closely guarded secret. "The issue of who will be captain is strictly private between us and we'd never give out any details," said midfielder Juan Pablo Sorin.

This year, the front-runners are seen as Valencia defender Roberto Ayala and AS Roma striker Gabriel Batistuta, with Lazio veteran Diego Simeone also a possible contender.

With Bielsa still undecided as to whether to start with Batistuta or Lazio's Hernan Crespo up front, Ayala is the most logical option. He captained Argentina during the World Cup qualifiers.

Simeone, who recently recovered from a serious knee injury, captained the side in France 1998 and has won the most caps in Argentine history. Batistuta is Argentina's all-time leading scorer.