Argentina national football team
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| Nickname | Albicelestes ("White and Sky blue") |
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| Association | Asociación del Fútbol Argentino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach |  Alfio Basile |
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| Captain | Roberto Ayala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most caps | Diego Simeone Roberto Ayala (106) |
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| Top scorer | Gabriel Batistuta (56) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIFA code | ARG | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIFA ranking | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest FIFA ranking | 2 (November 2001) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest FIFA ranking | 24 (August 1996) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elo ranking | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First international Uruguay 2 - 3 Argentina  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 16 May 1901) |
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Largest win Argentina 12 - 0 Ecuador  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January 1942) |
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Worst defeat Czechoslovakia 6 - 1 Argentina (Helsingborg, Sweden; 15 June 1958) Uruguay 5 - 0 Argentina (Guayaquil, Ecuador; 16 December 1959) Argentina 0 - 5 Colombia  (Buenos Aires, Argentina; 5 September 1993) |
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| World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 14 (First in 1930) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Winners, 1978 and 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copa América | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 37 (First in 1916) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Winners, 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993 |
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| Olympic medal record | |||
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| Men's football | |||
| Silver | 1928 Amsterdam | Team | |
| Silver | 1996 Atlanta | Team | |
| Gold | 2004 Athens | Team | |
The Argentina national football team is the national football team of Argentina, controlled by the Argentine Football Association which is known by its abbreviation AFA.
Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams in the world, having won two World Cups and is currently the World Youth Champion and holder of the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal.
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[edit] Historical achievements
La Selección, also known as the Albicelestes ("Light blue and whites"), has appeared in four World Cup finals, including the first final in 1930, which it lost 4-2 to Uruguay. Argentina won in their next final in 1978, beating the Netherlands 3-1; Argentina won again in 1986 (led by Diego Maradona), a 3-2 victory over West Germany. Their most recent final was in 1990, which they lost 1-0 to West Germany by a much disputed penalty.
Argentina has been very successful in Copa América, winning it eleven times and also winning the 'extra' South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946.
Argentina Football also won 7 of the 14 Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1971, 1995 and 2003.
It also won the Confederations Cup and the Kirin Cup, both in 1992.
[edit] Youth teams achievements
Besides the 2004 Gold Medal at the Olympic Games, Argentina won the Silver Medal in 1928 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
Since the competition's creation in 1977, Argentina has won five titles in the World Youth Championship :
- Japan, 1979 with Diego Maradona and Ramón Díaz
- Qatar, 1995 with Juan Pablo Sorín
- Malaysia, 1997 with Juan Román Riquelme, Esteban Cambiasso, and Pablo Aimar
- Argentina, 2001 with Javier Saviola, and Andrés D'Alessandro
- Netherlands, 2005 with Lionel Messi, and Sergio Agüero
Three of these titles were won under previous national coach, José Pekerman (1995, 1997 and 2001).
[edit] World Cup record
| Year | Round | Position | Games | Wins | Draws* | Losses | Goals Scored | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Final | Runners-up | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 9 |
| 1934 | Round 1 | 9th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1938 | Withdrew | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1950 | Withdrew | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1954 | Did not enter | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1958 | Round 1 | 13th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 1962 | Round 1 | 10th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1966 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 1970 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1974 | Round 2 | 8th | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| 1978 | Final | Champions | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 4 |
| 1982 | Round 2 | 12th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 |
| 1986 | Final | Champions | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 5 |
| 1990 | Final | Runners-up | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 1994 | Round 2 | 9th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 |
| 1998 | Quarterfinals | 7th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 |
| 2002 | Round 1 | 18th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2006 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Total | 14 appearances | 2 championships | 65 | 33 | 13 | 19 | 113 | 74 |
Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
[edit] Copa América record
[edit] Notable former players
[edit] Former managers
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[edit] World Cup 2006 Information
Argentina had been eliminated at the group stage at Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup, although they had been among the pre-tournament favourites. There was a high expectation of a better performance in the Germany 2006 edition of the competition.
Argentina won their opening game of the tournament beating Ivory Coast 2-1. Goals for Argentina came from Chelsea's Hernán Crespo and Sevilla's Javier Saviola. Argentina beat Serbia and Montenegro ([[16 June}}), winning 6-0. Argentina opened the scoring early in the 6th minute through Maxi which set the pace for the rest of the game with goals from Cambiasso (31') and Maxi again(41') towards the end of first half .The second half saw goals from Crespo(78') Tévez(84')and Messi(88'). Crespo was booked for dissent in the 37th minute after his delightful chip over Jevric' into the net was harshly ruled out for offside.
On June 24, in the round of sixteen, the Argentinian squad defeated Mexico in a thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 victory. The final goal was a noteworthy strike by Maxi Rodriguez (98') in extra time, volleying a shot into the upper left corner of the net.
On Friday June 30th, they faced hosts Germany. Roberto Ayala scored shortly after half-time to give the Argentinians a 1-0 lead. Later, while jumping for a header, Germany's Miroslav Klose collided with goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, injuring the latter in the chest and he had to be carried off of the field. Substitute keeper Leonardo Franco conceded Klose's equalizing header with 10 minutes to spare. Near the end of regular time, Juan Román Riquelme and Hernán Crespo were substituted off, and Pekerman was later criticized for taking two of his best players off. During the penalty shootout, Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso had their spot kicks saved by German keeper Jens Lehmann, while the Germans scored all of their penalty shots to win the shootout 4 - 2.
A brawl erupted between the Argentinians and Germans after the game ended. Unused substitute Leandro Cufre was send off for kicking Per Mertesacker, while Maxi Rodriguez hit Bastian Schweinsteiger from behind. Following an investigation of video evidence, FIFA doled out 4-game and 2-game suspensions for Cufre and Rodriguez, respectively. Germany's Torsten Frings was suspended for the semifinal match for punching Julio Cruz.
Shortly after the elimination, coach José Pekerman resigned from his position. AFA appointed Alfio Basile, who had previously managed the national side during the 1994 World Cup, to the post from September 15, 2006.
[edit] Current Squad
The following players were called up to face Spain on October 11, 2006
Gabriel Heinze and Hernán Crespo were in the original squad to face Spain but both pulled out due to injury.
The majority of players called up to the national team are based in Europe, but coach Alfio Basile named a fully European based squad to face Spain due to Argentine clubs being involved in the Copa Sudamericana at the same time as the friendly. [1]
[edit] Recent call ups
The following players have also been called up to the Argentina squad within the last twelve months.
- Goalkeeper
| Name | Date of birth | Club | Caps (goals) | Most recent call up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Ustari | 3 July 1986 | Independiente |
0 (0) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
- Defenders
| Name | Date of birth | Club | Caps (goals) | Most recent call up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolás Burdisso | 12 April 1981 |  Inter Milan |
11 (0) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| Leandro Cufré | 9 May 1978 |  Monaco |
3 (0) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| Fabricio Fuentes | October 13, 1976 |  Villarreal |
friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006[1] | |
| Hugo Benjamín Ibarra | 1 April 1974 | Boca Juniors |
friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006 | |
| Clemente Rodríguez | 31 July 1981 |  Spartak Moscow |
friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006 | |
| Walter Samuel | 23 March 1978 | Inter Milan |
friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006 | |
| Lionel Scaloni | 16 May 1978 | Racing Santander |
7 (0) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| Juan Pablo Sorín | 5 May 1976 |  Hamburg |
75 (11) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
- Midfielders
| Name | Date of birth | Club | Caps (goals) | Most recent call up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esteban Cambiasso | 18 August 1980 | Inter Milan |
27 (2) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| Juan Román Riquelme[2] | 24 June 1978 | Villarreal |
37 (8) | friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006 |
- Strikers
| Name | Date of birth | Club | Caps (goals) | Most recent call up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julio Ricardo Cruz | 10 October 1974 | Inter Milan |
17 (3) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| César Delgado | 18 August 1981 |  Cruz Azul |
friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006 | |
| Rodrigo Palacio | 5 February 1982 | Boca Juniors |
3 (0) | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
[edit] Trivia
Argentina and Uruguay hold the record for the most international matches played between two countries.[citations needed] The two teams have faced each other 161 times since 1901. The first match against Uruguay was the first official international match to be played outside Britain.[3]
Marcelo Trobbiani was a member of the Argentina world cup squad in 1986, but he only managed two minutes of play in the entire tournament, he came on in the 88th minute of the World Cup Final against West Germany. This two minutes of football equalled the world record for the shortest world cup career set by Tunisia's Khemais Labidi in 1978.
In the 2006 World Cup Leandro Cufré was given a red card and sent off after the end of the Quarter Final game with Germany for his part in the brawl after the match, even though he was a substitute and had not participated in the game itself. It is the only occasion of a player being sent off in a FIFA World Cup match after the final whistle. Four years earlier, in the 2002 World Cup Claudio Caniggia was sent off for swearing at a match official from the substitute bench.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Basile dio la lista de convocados para el partido con Brasil en Londres afa.org.ar (Spanish)
- ^ Retired from international football
- ^ Although Canada and the United States played two internationals in 1885 and 1889, neither match is considered official; Canada did not play an official international until 1904 and the USA did not play one until 1916.
[edit] External links
- Official website, at the Argentine Football Association's website
- RSSSF archive of results 1901-2002
- RSSSF archive of results 1999-
- RSSSF archive of most capped players and highest goalscorers
- RSSSF archive of coaches 1901-90
- Russian company and Argentine national team:common features
| Football in Argentina |  |
| Argentine Football Association | National team | First Division | Second Division | 3rd Division (Capital) | 3rd Division (Interior) |4th Division (Capital) |4th Division (Interior) | 5th Division (Capital) | League system | Seasons | Clubs | Footballers | Managers | Stadiums | Derbies | |
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