Argentina national football team

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Argentina
Nickname	Albicelestes ("White and Sky blue")
Association	Asociación del Fútbol Argentino
Confederation	CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach	Alfio Basile
Captain	Roberto Ayala
Most caps	Roberto Ayala (107)
Top scorer	Gabriel Batistuta (56)
Home stadium	El Monumental
FIFA code	ARG
FIFA ranking	1
Highest FIFA ranking	1 (March 2007)
Lowest FIFA ranking	24 (August 1996)
Elo ranking	4
Highest Elo ranking	1 (Many times between 1926-1966, 1986-7, 1992-3, 2002, 2004-5)
Lowest Elo ranking	28 (June 8, 1990)
First kit 　 Second kit
First international Uruguay 2 - 3 Argentina (Montevideo, Uruguay; 16 May 1901)
Biggest win Argentina 12 - 0 Ecuador (Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January 1942)
Biggest 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)
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
Confederations Cup
Appearances	3 (First in 1992)
Best result	Winners, 1992

Olympic medal record
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 and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association, also 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. Argentina is also the only national team to have won at least once every FIFA-recognized competition for which it is eligible.

Contents 1 Kit Evolution 2 Historical achievements 2.1 Youth teams achievements 3 World Cup record 4 Copa América record 5 Pan American Games record 6 Notable former players 7 Former managers 8 World Cup 2006 Information 9 Current Squad 9.1 Domestic players 9.2 Recent call ups 9.3 Previous squads 9.4 Forthcoming fixtures 10 Trivia 11 See also 12 Footnotes 13 External links

[edit] Kit Evolution

1901-1910

1901-1910

1910-present

[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 fourteen times and also winning the 'extra' South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946.

Argentina Football also won six of the fourteen Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 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 Riquelme, 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	6th	5	3	1	1	10	4
2002	Round 1	18th	3	1	1	1	2	2
2006	Quarterfinals	5th	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

1916 - Runners-up 1917 - Runners-up 1919 - Third Place 1920 - Runners-up 1921 - Winners 1922 - Fourth Place 1923 - Runners-up 1924 - Runners-up 1925 - Winners 1926 - Runners-up 1927 - Winners

1929 - Winners 1935 - Runners-up 1937 - Winners 1939 - Withdrew 1941 - Winners 1942 - Runners-up 1945 - Winners 1946 - Winners 1947 - Winners 1949 - Withdrew 1953 - Withdrew

1955 - Winners 1956 - Third Place 1957 - Winners 1959 - Winners 1959 - Runners-up 1963 - Third Place 1967 - Runners-up 1975 - Round 1 1979 - Round 1 1983 - Round 1 1987 - Fourth Place

1989 - Third Place 1991 - Winners 1993 - Winners 1995 - Quarterfinals 1997 - Quarterfinals 1999 - Quarterfinals 2001 - Withdrew 2004 - Runners-up

[edit] Pan American Games record

1951 - Winners 1955 - Winners 1959 - Winners 1963 - Runners-up 1967 - Round 1 1971 - Winners 1975 - Third Place

1979 - Third Place 1983 - Round 1 1987 - Third Place 1991 - Did not compete 1995 - Winners 1999 - Did not compete 2003 - Winners

[edit] Notable former players

Matías Almeyda (1996-2005) Antonio Angelillo (also played for Italy) (1957) Osvaldo Ardiles (1974-1982) Abel Balbo (1988-1998) Gabriel Batistuta (1991-2003) Claudio Borghi (1983-1986) Jorge Burruchaga (1983-1990) Claudio Caniggia (1988-2002) Amadeo Carrizo (1946-1958) José Chamot (1991-2002) Alfredo Di Stéfano (also played for Colombia and Spain) (1947) Ramón Díaz (1979-1982)

Ubaldo Fillol (1972-1985) Marcelo Gallardo (1995-2002) Americo Gallego (1975-1982) Sergio Goycochea (1989-1995) Mario Kempes (1974-1982) Claudio López (1995-2004) Diego Armando Maradona (1977-1994) Silvio Marzolini (1961-1970) José Manuel Moreno (1940-1947) Luis Monti (1924-1931) Julio Olarticoechea (1982-1990) Ariel Ortega (1993-2004) Daniel Passarella (1974-1986) Roberto Perfumo (1960-1974)

Antonio Rattín (1959-1966) Fernando Redondo (1991-1996) Juan Román Riquelme (1997-2006) Oscar Ruggeri (1982-1994) Roberto Néstor Sensini (1987-2003) Diego Simeone (1991-2003) Omar Sivori (also played for Italy) (1956-1957) Guillermo Stábile (1924-1934) Jorge Valdano (1980-1990) Juan Sebastián Verón (1995-2003) Ricardo Villa (1974-1982) Javier Zanetti (1994-)

[edit] Former managers

1924-1925 Angel Vázquez 1927-1928 José Lago Millán 1928-1929 Francisco Olazar 1929-1930 Olazar-Tramutola 1934-1934 Felipe Pascucci 1934-1937 Manuel Seoane 1937-1939 Ángel Fernández Roca 1939-1960 Guillermo Stábile 1960-1961 Victorio Spinetto

1961-1961 José D'Amico 1962-1963 Juan Carlos Lorenzo 1963-1963 Jim López 1963-1964 Horacio Amable Torres 1964-1968 José María Minella 1968-1968 Renato Cesarini 1968-1969 Humberto Dionisio Maschio 1969-1969 Adolfo Pedernera 1969-1972 Juan José Pizzuti

1972-1974 Enrique Omar Sívori 1974-1974 Vladislao Cap 1974-1982 César Luis Menotti 1982-1990 Carlos Bilardo 1990-1994 Alfio Basile 1994-1998 Daniel Passarella 1998-2004 Marcelo Bielsa 2004-2006 José Pekerman 2006- Alfio Basile

[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, with Maxi (2), Cambiasso, Crespo, Tevez and Messi as scorers.

On June 24, in the round of sixteen, the Argentine team defeated Mexico in a thrilling come-from-behind 2-1 victory. The final goal was a noteworthy strike by Maxi Rodriguez in extra time, volleying a shot into the upper left corner of the net. In an official online poll by FIFA, this was voted the best goal of the World Cup [1](Esteban Cambiasso's goal against Serbia and Montenegro won the same title in a British televisionpoll^[1])

On Friday June 30th, they faced hosts Germany. Roberto Ayala scored shortly after half-time to give the Argentines 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 Argentines 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 Ricardo 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 Argentine Football Association has a contract with Russian television company Renova to play in 24 friendlies in a five year period from September 2006 that must feature at least 7 of a pool of 30 established internationals. The manager has been publicly critical of this restriction on his ability to select the team that he might wish.[2] Caps earned and goals scored correct to February 7, 2007.

[edit] Domestic players

On February 27 2007, coach Basile called 21 players based in the domestic league for training twice a week. [3]. Most of these players are expected to be in the squad for Copa America 2007.

No. Pos. Player DoB/Age Caps Goals Club GK Juan Pablo Carrizo May 6, 1984 (age 22) River Plate GK Oscar Ustari July 3, 1986 (age 20) 0 0 Independiente DF Hugo Ibarra April 1, 1974 (age 33) Boca Juniors DF Paulo Ferrari January 4, 1982 (age 25) River Plate DF Eduardo Tuzzio July 31, 1974 (age 32) River Plate DF Hernán Pellerano Vélez Sársfield DF Daniel Alberto Díaz March 13, 1979 (age 28) Boca Juniors DF Germán Ré Newell's Old Boys DF Jonathan Bottinelli San Lorenzo MF Leonardo Daniel Ponzio January 29, 1982 (age 25) 1 0 River Plate MF Agustín Pelletieri Lanús MF Juan Sebastián Verón March 9, 1975 (age 32) Estudiantes MF Fernando Belluschi September 10, 1983 (age 23) River Plate MF Cristian Raúl Ledesma December 29, 1978 (age 28) San Lorenzo MF Daniel Montenegro March 28, 1979 (age 28) Independiente MF Neri Raúl Cardozo August 8, 1986 (age 20) Boca Juniors MF José Ernesto Sosa June 19, 1985 (age 21) Estudiantes FW Rodrigo Palacio February 5, 1982 (age 25) 3 0 Boca Juniors FW Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi May 3, 1985 (age 21) San Lorenzo FW Mariano Pavone May 27, 1982 (age 24) Estudiantes FW Mauro Zárate March 18, 1987 (age 20) Vélez Sársfield

[edit] Recent call ups

The following players were called up to face France on February 7, 2007

No. Pos. Player DoB/Age Caps Goals Club 1 GK Roberto Abbondanzieri August 19, 1972 (age 34) 28 0 Getafe 2 DF Roberto Ayala April 14, 1973 (age 33) 107 7 Valencia 3 DF Rodolfo Arruabarrena July 20, 1975 (age 31) 5 0 Villarreal 4 DF Nicolás Burdisso April 12, 1981 (age 25) 12 0 Internazionale 5 MF Fernando Gago April 10, 1986 (age 20) 1 0 Real Madrid 6 DF Gabriel Heinze April 19, 1978 (age 28) 34 1 Manchester United 7 FW Javier Saviola December 11, 1981 (age 25) 35 11 Barcelona 8 DF Javier Zanetti August 10, 1973 (age 33) 103 6 Internazionale 9 FW Hernán Crespo July 5, 1975 (age 31) 60 32 Internazionale 11 FW Lisandro López March 2, 1983 (age 24) FC Porto 12 GK Leo Franco May 29, 1977 (age 29) 4 0 Atlético Madrid 13 DF Fabricio Fuentes October 13, 1976 (age 30) 0 0 Villarreal 14 MF Leandro Somoza January 26, 1981 (age 26) 2 0 Villarreal 15 DF Gabriel Milito September 7, 1980 (age 26) 19 0 Real Zaragoza 16 MF Luis González January 19, 1981 (age 26) 32 5 Porto 17 MF Jonás Gutiérrez May 7, 1980 (age 26) 1 0 RCD Mallorca 18 FW Sergio Agüero June 2, 1988 (age 18) 3 0 Atlético Madrid 19 MF Esteban Cambiasso August 18, 1980 (age 26) 28 2 Internazionale 20 FW Diego Milito June 12, 1979 (age 27) 1 0 Real Zaragoza MF Pablo Aimar November 3, 1979 (age 27) 41 7 Real Zaragoza MF Aldo Duscher March 22, 1979 (age 28) 4 0 Deportivo de La Coruña

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

Defenders

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most recent call up
Fabricio Coloccini	January 22, 1982 (age 25)	Deportivo la Coruña	25 (1)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006
Leandro Cufré	May 9, 1978 (age 28)	Monaco	3 (0)	2006 FIFA World Cup
Clemente Rodríguez	July 31, 1981 (age 25)	Boca Juniors		friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Walter Samuel	March 23, 1978 (age 29)	Inter Milan		friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Lionel Scaloni	May 16, 1978 (age 28)	Racing Santander	7 (0)	2006 FIFA World Cup
Juan Pablo Sorín	May 5, 1976 (age 30)	Hamburg	75 (11)	2006 FIFA World Cup
Pablo Zabaleta	January 16, 1985 (age 22)	Espanyol	2 (0)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006

Midfielders

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most recent call up
Daniel Rubén Bilos	September 3, 1980 (age 26)	Club América	2 (1)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006
Federico Insúa	January 3, 1980 (age 27)	Mönchengladbach	2 (0)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006
Javier Mascherano	June 8, 1984 (age 22)	Liverpool	20 (0)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006
Juan Román Riquelme[2]	June 24, 1978 (age 28)	Boca Juniors	37 (8)	friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Maxi Rodríguez	January 2, 1981 (age 26)	Atlético Madrid	18 (6)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006

Strikers

Name	Date of birth	Club	Caps (goals)	Most recent call up
Julio Ricardo Cruz	October 10, 1974 (age 32)	Inter Milan	17 (3)	2006 FIFA World Cup
César Delgado	August 18, 1981 (age 25)	Cruz Azul		friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Lionel Messi	June 24, 1987 (age 19)	Barcelona	12 (2)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006
Carlos Tévez	February 5, 1984 (age 23)	West Ham United	25 (4)	friendly v. Spain, October 11, 2006

[edit] Previous squads

• 2006 FIFA World Cup squads - Argentina
• 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup squads - Argentina
• 2002 FIFA World Cup squads - Argentina
• 1998 FIFA World Cup squads - Argentina

[edit] Forthcoming fixtures

A more comprehensive list of friendlies and official matches can be found here.

^{[3] [4]}

Date	Against	Location	Match Type	Players to be called
April 19, 2007	Chile	Mendoza, Argentina	Friendly	Domestic team [5]
June 2, 2007	Switzerland	Basel, Switzerland	Friendly	?
June 6, 2007	Australia	MCG, Melbourne, Australia	Friendly	?
June 26 - July 15	Tournament	Venezuela	Copa America 2007	Majority players from domestic league [6]
August 22, 2007	Norway	Oslo, Norway	Friendly	?
Sept. 12, 2007	Georgia	Georgia	Match mentioned in FIFA web site but not recognized by AFA as of January 2007	?

[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.^[7]

• 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

• Vamos vamos Argentina
• Argentina and Brazil football rivalry
• Argentina and England football rivalry

[edit] Footnotes

1. ^ BBC goal of the tournament
2. ^ Retired from international football
3. ^ La Selección enfrentará a Australia en junio
4. ^ FIFA Fixtures
5. ^ clarin newspaper
6. ^ Un técnico en su laberinto
7. ^ 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

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