Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team is controlled by the Argentine Football Association AFA. Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams in the world, and is currently eighth in the FIFA world rankings. The team has twice won the FIFA World Cup, in 1978 and 1986. Argentina has won the Copa América 14 times, Argentina won the Confederations Cup in 1992 and the Olympic Football Tournament 2004 and 2008.
Argentina national teams which have won the three most important men's titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympic tournament. They have both also won their respective continental championship (Copa América for Argentina, and UEFA European Football Championship for France).
Argentina Football Assocaiation
 | |
Association | Asociación del Fútbol Argentino(Argentine Football Association) |
Nickname(s) | La Albiceleste (White and Sky blue) |
Confederation | CONMEBOL ( |
Head coach | Diego Maradona |
Captain | Javier Mascherano |
Most caps | Javier Zanetti (136) |
Top scorer | Gabriel Batistuta (56) |
Home stadium | El Monumental Estadio Gigante de Arroyito. |
FIFA code | ARG |
FIFA ranking | 9 |
Highest FIFA ranking | 1 (March 2007, October 2007-June 2008) |
Lowest FIFA ranking | 24 (August 1996) |
Elo ranking | 7 |
Highest Elo ranking | 1 (most recently in July 2007, 34 times in total) |
Lowest Elo ranking | 28 (June 1990) |
World Cup Record
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 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 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. "La Seleccion" means the selection.
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 Argentine 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 fourteen football competitions at the Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995 and 2003.In 2002 FIFA World Cup Argentina had been eliminated at the group stage at Korea/Japan, although they had been among the pre-tournament favourites. There was a high expectation of a better performance in the Germany 2006.Argentina qualified for the knockout stages with wins over Ivory Coast (2-1) and Serbia and Montenegro (6-0), and a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands.In the round of sixteen, Argentina defeated Mexico 2-1 in extra-time, the winning goal by Maxi Rodríguez winning an online poll organised by FIFA, as the best goal of the World Cup.In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time.
Pan American Games record
* 1951 - Champions
* 1955 - Champions
* 1959 - Champions
* 1963 - Second place
* 1967 - Round 1
* 1971 - Champions
* 1975 - Third place
* 1979 - Third place
* 1983 - Round 1
* 1987 - Third place
* 1991 - Did not enter
* 1995 - Champions
* 1999 - Did not enter
* 2003 - Champions
* 2007 - Round 1
* 1955 - Champions
* 1959 - Champions
* 1963 - Second place
* 1967 - Round 1
* 1971 - Champions
* 1975 - Third place
* 1979 - Third place
* 1983 - Round 1
* 1987 - Third place
* 1991 - Did not enter
* 1995 - Champions
* 1999 - Did not enter
* 2003 - Champions
* 2007 - Round 1
Honours
# FIFA World Cup (Senior team) :
* Winner (2): 1978, 1986
* Runner-up (2): 1930, 1990
# Copa America :
* Winner (14): 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941,
1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959,
1991, 1993.
* Runner-up (12): 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926,
1935, 1942, 1959 , 1967, 2004, 2007.
1935, 1942, 1959 , 1967, 2004, 2007.
# FIFA Confederations Cup :
* Winner (1): 1992
* Runner-up (2): 1995, 2005
# Artemio Franchi Trophy :
* Winner (1): 1993.
# Nations' Cup :
* Winner (1): 1964
# Panamerican Championship :
* Winners (1): 1960
Friendly titles
# Copa Kirin :
* Winners (1): 1992.
# Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo 1910 :
* Winners (1): 1910.
# Copa Roca :
* Winners (4): 1923, 1939, 1940, 1971.
# Copa Lipton :
* Winners (18): 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909,1913, 1915,
1916, 1917,1918, 1928, 1937, 1942,
1945, 1957, 1962, 1968, 1976, 1992.
1916, 1917,1918, 1928, 1937, 1942,
1945, 1957, 1962, 1968, 1976, 1992.
# Copa Newton :
* Winners (17): 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1916,
1918, 1924,1927, 1928, 1937, 1942,
1945, 1957, 1973, 1975.
Managers
1. 1924-1925 Angel Vázquez
2. 1927-1928 José Lago Millán
3. 1928-1929 Francisco Olazar
4. 1929-1930 Olazar & Tramutola
5. 1934-1934 Felipe Pascucci
6. 1934-1937 Manuel Seoane
7. 1937-1939 Ángel Fernández Roca
8. 1939-1960 Guillermo Stábile
9. 1960-1961 Victorio Spinetto
10. 1961-1961 José D'Amico
11. 1962-1963 Juan Carlos Lorenzo
12. 1963-1963 Alejandro Galán
13. 1963-1964 Horacio Amable Torres
14. 1964-1968 José María Minella
15. 1968-1968 Renato Cesarini
16. 1968-1969 Humberto Dionisio Maschio
17. 1969-1969 Adolfo Pedernera
18. 1969-1972 Juan José Pizzuti
19. 1972-1974 Enrique Omar Sívori
20. 1974-1974 Vladislao Cap & José Varacka
21. 1974-1983 César Luis Menotti
22. 1983-1990 Carlos Bilardo
23. 1990-1994 Alfio Basile
24. 1994-1998 Daniel Passarella
25. 1998-2004 Marcelo Bielsa
26. 2004-2006 José Pekerman
27. 2006-2008 Alfio Basile
28. 2008- Diego Maradona
Most capped players
Years | Name | Caps | Goals |
1994 - present | Javier Zanetti | 136 | 5 |
1994 - 2007 | Roberto Ayala | 115 | 7 |
1988 - 2002 | Diego Simeone | 106 | 11 |
1983 - 1994 | Oscar Ruggeri | 97 | 7 |
1977 - 1994 | Diego Maradona | 91 | 34 |
1993 - 2003 | Ariel Ortega | 86 | 17 |
1991 - 2002 | Gabriel Batistuta | 78 | 56 |
1995 - 2006 | Juan Pablo Sorín | 76 | 12 |
1975 - 1982 | Américo Gallego | 73 | 3 |
1976 - 1986 | Daniel Passarella | 70 | 22 |
Top goalscorers
Years | Name | Goals | Caps |
1991 - 2002 | Gabriel Batistuta | 56 | 78 |
1995 - 2007 | Hernán Crespo | 36 | 64 |
1977 - 1994 | Diego Maradona | 34 | 91 |
1961 - 1967 | Luis Artime | 24 | 25 |
1975 - 1981 | Leopoldo Luque | 22 | 45 |
1976 - 1986 | Daniel Passarella | 22 | 70 |
1956 - 1962 | Jose Sanfilippo | 21 | 29 |
1935 - 1942 | Herminio Masantonio | 21 | 19 |
1973 - 1982 | Mario Kempes | 20 | 43 |
1945 - 1956 | Norberto Méndez | 19 | 31 |
1936 - 1950 | José Manuel | 19 | 34 |
1942 - 1947 | René Pontoni | 19 | 19 |
