Argentina national football team
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.
La Selección (National Team), also known as La Albiceleste, 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 3–1 at extra time. Argentina won again in 1986 with a 3–2 victory over West Germany, and a tournament campaign inspired by their captain Diego Maradona. They made the World Cup finals once more in 1990, and lost 1–0 to West Germany through an 87th minute penalty converted by Andreas Brehme. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, made their fifth appearance in a World Cup final in 2014, again losing to Germany 1–0 during extra-time. The team's World Cup-winning managers are César Luis Menotti in 1978 and Carlos Bilardo in 1986.
Argentina has also been very successful in the Copa América, winning it 15 times, most recently led by Lionel Messi in 2021, and are currently tied with Uruguay in most wins. The team also won the 1992 FIFA Confederations Cup. Argentina is the most successful team in the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, having won it twice (1993 and 2022). Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil, Uruguay, England, and Germany.[13][14]
History[edit]
The first match ever recorded for Argentina was against Uruguay, on 20 June 1902.[note 2] The game (which was the first international for both sides) was held in Montevideo and Argentina won 6–0.[3][6] 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 the interruption of World War I.[16]
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. Argentina last reached the World Cup final in 2014, where it lost 1–0 to the Germany. Previous to this their last World Cup final was in 1990, which is also lost, 1–0, to West 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 15 times. The team also won the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Kirin Cup, both in 1992, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 1993 and 2022, and the Nations' Cup in 1964. Argentina 'Olympic' 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.[17]
Argentina also won seven of the 18 football competitions at the Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995, 2003 and 2019.
In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time.[18]
Home stadium[edit]
Argentina play most of their home matches at River Plate stadium, Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti,[19][20] although the team has also played in other venues such as Rosario Central,[21] (during the 2010 World Cup qualification)[22][23] Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero,[24][25] Boca Juniors' stadium (La Bombonera)[25] Those venues were used in some matches of the 2022 World Cup qualification,[26] along with Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba and Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario in the homonymous province.[27]
GEBA Stadium was the venue where Argentina played their first international matches as local team. The match held on 13 September 1908, for the Copa Newton v. Uruguay has a historic relevance for being the first time Argentine wore the light blue and white striped jersey, which would be the definitive uniform up to present days.[28] GEBA was also venue for the Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo, the first international South American competition organised in 1910. The Argentina national team played its last game at GEBA on 19 October 1919, when the squad won the Copa Premier Honor Argentino after thrashing Uruguay by 6–1,[29]
Other memorable venue for Argentina was Estadio Sportivo Barracas, which holds an important anecdotal fact in its history on 2 October 1924, when Argentina beat Uruguay 2–1 with a goal converted directly from a corner kick by forward Cesáreo Onzari. Since then, a goal like Onzari's is referred as a Gol olímpico or Olympic goal.[30] Sportivo Barracas was the usual venue for Argentina from 1920 to 1932. The stadium would be later demolished in 1937.
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