Most caps Javier Zanetti (143) FIFA code ARG Founded 1901 Manager Edgardo Bauza Confederation CONMEBOL | Top scorer Lionel Messi (57) Current 1 (9 February 2017) Captain Lionel Messi Head coach Edgardo Bauza | |
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Nickname(s) La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue) Home stadium Antonio Vespucio Liberti (El Monumental) Association Argentine Football Association Arenas/Stadiums Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes | ||
The Argentina national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Argentina) represents Argentina in football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires.
Contents
- History
- Kit history
- Managers
- Results and fixtures
- Current squad
- Recent call ups
- FIFA World Cup
- FIFA Confederations Cup
- Olympics record
- Pan American Games
- Most caps
- Top goalscorers
- Individual stats
- Notable matches
- Brazil
- England
- Germany
- Uruguay
- Honours
- References
La Selección (national team), also known as the Albicelestes (sky blue and whites), has appeared in five World Cup finals, including the first final in 1930, which they lost 4–2 to Uruguay. Argentina won in their next final appearance in 1978, beating the Netherlands at extra time, 3–1. Argentina, led by Diego Maradona won again in 1986, a 3–2 victory over West Germany. They again made the World Cup finals in 1990, and lost 1–0 to West Germany following a controversial penalty call in the 87th minute. Argentina made their fifth appearance in a World Cup final in 2014, again losing to Germany, 1–0 during extra-time. Argentina's World Cup winning managers are César Luis Menotti in 1978, and Carlos Bilardo in 1986.
Argentina has been very successful in the Copa América, winning it 14 times and also winning the 'extra' South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946. The team also won the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Kirin Cup, both in 1992, and the Argentine olympic team won the Olympics football tournaments in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
Argentina, Brazil and France are the only national teams that have won the three most important men's titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympic tournament. They have also won their respective continental championship (Copa América for Argentina and Brazil, and UEFA European Championship for France).
Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil, Uruguay, England and Germany due to historic occurrences with one another throughout football history.
History
The first match ever recorded by Argentina was against Uruguay. The game was held in Montevideo on 16 May 1901 and Argentina won, 3–2. During the first years of its existence, the Argentina national team only played friendly matches against other South American teams. The reasons for this varied, including long travel times between countries and World War I.
La Selección (national team), also known as the Albicelestes (sky blue and whites), has appeared in five World Cup finals, including the first final in 1930, which they lost, 4–2, to Uruguay. Argentina won in their next final in 1978, beating the Netherlands, 3–1. Argentina, led by Diego Maradona won again in 1986, a 3–2 victory over West Germany. Their most recent World Cup final was in 2014, which they lost 1–0 to Germany. Previous to this their last World Cup final was in 1990, which they lost, 1–0, to Germany by a much disputed penalty. Argentina's World Cup winning managers are César Luis Menotti in 1978, and Carlos Bilardo in 1986.
Argentina has been very successful in the Copa América, winning it fourteen times and also winning the 'extra' South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946. The team also won the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Kirin Cup, both in 1992, and an Argentina team (with only three players of over 23 years of age included in the squad) won the Olympics football tournaments in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
Argentina also won six of the 14 football competitions at the Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995 and 2003.
In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time.
Kit history
The first jersey wore by Argentina was a white one, when the national side officially debuted v. Uruguay in 1902. In September 1908, Argentina wore the white and light blue in vertical stripes jersey for the first time. That kit would become the official kit since then. The away kits usually have been in dark blue tones, varying the colors of shorts and socks.
Nevertheless, Argentina wore other uniforms a few times. One of them was on 3 June 1919 in Rio de Janeiro playing the "Roberto Chery Cup" against Brazil. That time Argentina wore a light blue kit, similar to Uruguay. The trophy was established by Brazilian Football Confederation for the benefit of Roberto Chery's relatives. Chery was Uruguay's substitute goalkeeper and died during the 1919 South American Championship after collapsing in a game against Chile.
In the 1958 World Cup, Argentina wore the yellow IFK Malmo's jersey in the match against West Germany as the team didn't bring away uniforms to Sweden.
Managers
The first Argentina national team manager was Ángel Vázquez, appointed in 1924. Guillermo Stábile is the manager with the most matches coaching the team (127). The complete list of managers is:
Results and fixtures
Win Draw Loss
Current squad
The following 26 players were called up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Brazil on 10 November and Colombia on 15 November 2016.
Caps and goals updated as of 16 November 2016 after the match against Colombia.
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up for the team in the lasts months.
FIFA World Cup
Champions Runners-up Third place
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks. Darker color indicates win, normal color indicates lost. **Gold background color indicates that the tournament was won. Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.FIFA Confederations Cup
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks. **Gold background color indicates that the tournament was won. Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.Olympics record
Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since 1992. See Argentina Olympic football team.
Pan American Games
Argentina has won 6 of the 14 football competitions at the Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995 and 2003.
Most caps
As of 15 November 2016
Top goalscorers
As of 15 November 2016, the ten players with the most goals for Argentina are:
Individual stats
Notable matches
Brazil
Argentina have a long and fierce rivalry with their South American neighbours.
England
With a rivalry stemming from the 1966 World Cup and intensified by the Falklands War of 1982, Argentina and England have had numerous confrontations in World Cup tournaments. Perhaps the most notable was the quarter-final match in 1986, where Diego Maradona scored two goals against England.
Germany
Argentina have played Germany in three FIFA World Cup finals. In 1986 and 1990 the two teams played each other in two consecutive World Cup finals. After that, in 2006, Argentina lost on penalties after a 1–1 draw and lost again in 2010, this time with a 4–0 victory for Germany. They played each other for the third consecutive World Cup when they met at the 2014 World Cup final match, where they were defeated by Germany in extra time by a score of 1–0.
Uruguay
Argentina has a long-standing rivalry with their neighbors, that came into existence from the early South American Championships, the 1928 Summer Olympics and the first World Cup final, held in 1930.