Argentina national football team

Argentina
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)La Albiceleste
(The White and Sky Blue)[1]
AssociationAsociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA)
ConfederationCONMEBOL (South America)
Head coachLionel Scaloni
CaptainLionel Messi
Most capsLionel Messi (180)
Top scorerLionel Messi (106)
Home stadiumVarious
FIFA codeARG
First colours
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Second colours
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FIFA ranking
Current 1 Steady (4 April 2024)[2]
Highest1 (March 2007, October 2007 – June 2008, July–October 2015, April 2016 – April 2017, April 2023 –)
Lowest20 (August 1996)
First international
 Uruguay 0–6 Argentina 
(Montevideo, Uruguay; 20 July 1902)[3][4][5][6]
Biggest win
 Argentina 12–0 Ecuador 
(Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January 1942)
Biggest defeat
 Czechoslovakia 6–1 Argentina 
(Helsingborg, Sweden; 15 June 1958)
 Bolivia 6–1 Argentina 
(La Paz, Bolivia; 1 April 2009)[7]
 Spain 6–1 Argentina 
(Madrid, Spain; 27 March 2018)[8]
World Cup
Appearances18 (first in 1930)
Best resultChampions (1978, 1986, 2022)
Copa América
Appearances43 (first in 1916)
Best resultChampions (1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021)
Panamerican Championship
Appearances2 (first in 1956)
Best resultChampions (1960)
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Appearances2 (first in 1993)
Best resultChampions (1993, 2022)
FIFA Confederations Cup
Appearances3 (first in 1992)
Best resultChampions (1992)

The Argentina national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Argentina) represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

Nicknamed La Albiceleste ('The White and Sky Blue'), they are the reigning world champions, having won the most recent World Cup in 2022, earning their third star shown by the team's crest. Overall, Argentina has appeared in a World Cup final six times, a record equaled by Italy and surpassed only by Brazil and Germany. Argentina played in the first ever final in 1930, which they lost 4–2 to Uruguay. The following final appearance came 48 years later, in 1978, when the team captained by Daniel Passarella defeated the Netherlands 3–1 in extra time, becoming world champions for the first time. Captained by Diego Maradona, Argentina won their second World Cup eight years later, in 1986, with a 3–2 final victory over West Germany. They reached the final once more under the guidance of Maradona, in 1990, but were ultimately beaten 1–0 by West Germany. A few decades later, Argentina, led by Lionel Messi made their fifth final appearance in 2014, losing to Germany 1–0 after extra time. In 2022, again captained by Messi, they were crowned world champions for the third time, the fourth-most of any country, beating France 4–2 on penalties, following a 3–3 draw after extra time.

The team's World Cup–winning managers are César Luis Menotti in 1978, Carlos Bilardo in 1986 and Lionel Scaloni in 2022. Since the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player was officially awarded by FIFA in 1982, Argentina players have won it three times: Maradona in 1986 and Messi in 2014 and 2022. Argentines Guillermo Stábile in 1930 and Mario Kempes in 1978 were the top-scoring players at their respective World Cups.

Argentina has also been very successful in the Copa América, winning it 15 times, a record shared with Uruguay, most recently winning the 2021 edition. The team won the inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992. Argentina is the most successful team in the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, having won it twice, in 1993 and 2022. Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil, Uruguay, England, Germany and the Netherlands.[10][11] As of 2024, Argentina holds the record for most official titles won by a men's national team with 22. Individually for Argentina, Lionel Messi is the all-time most-capped player with 180 games and the highest goalscorer with 106 goals. As of December 2023, Argentina ranks 1st by FIFA.[12]

  1. ^ Grove, Daryl (19 June 2010). "An explanation: 2010 World Cup team nicknames". Dirty Tackle. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  2. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  3. ^ Pelayes, Héctor Darío (24 September 2010). "Argentina-Uruguay Matches 1902–2009". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference iffhs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference nostalgia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference barnade was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Historial entre Argentina y Bolivia". Sitio Oficial de la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Spain 6–1 Argentina: Isco scores hat-trick as hosts dismantle Argentina". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  9. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Great Footballing Rivalries: Argentina vs. Uruguay " SportsKeeda". Sportskeeda. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  11. ^ Wetzel, Dan (1 July 2010). "War of words renews Argentina-Germany rivalry". Yahoo! Sport. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  12. ^ "Men's Ranking". www.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.

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