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Argentina national football team

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Argentina
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname Albicelestes
("White and Sky blue")
AssociationAsociación del Fútbol Argentino
Head coach Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Alfio Basile
Captain Roberto Ayala
Most capsDiego Simeone
Roberto Ayala (106)
Top scorerGabriel Batistuta (56)
FIFA codeARG
FIFA ranking 3
Highest FIFA ranking 2 (November 2001)
Lowest FIFA ranking 24 (August 1996)
Elo ranking 6
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Home kit
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Away kit
First international
Image:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay 2 - 3 Argentina Image:Flag of Argentina (alternative).svg
(Montevideo, Uruguay; 16 May, 1901)
Largest win
Image:Flag of Argentina (alternative).svg Argentina 12 - 0 Ecuador Image:Flag of Ecuador.svg
(Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January, 1942)
Worst defeat
Image:Flag of Czechoslovakia (bordered).svg Czechoslovakia 6 - 1 Argentina Image:Flag of Argentina (alternative).svg
(Helsingborg, Sweden; 15 June, 1958)
Image:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay 5 - 0 Argentina Image:Flag of Argentina (alternative).svg
(Guayaquil, Ecuador; 16 December, 1959)
Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina 0 - 5 Colombia Image:Flag of Colombia.svg
(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
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, 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.

Contents

[edit] Kit Evolution

Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
1901-1910
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
1901-1910
Image:Kit left arm white stripes.png Team colours Image:Kit right arm white stripes.png
Team colours
Team colours
 
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 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 :

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
1930FinalRunners-up5401189
1934Round 19th100123
1938Withdrew-------
1950Withdrew-------
1954Did not enter-------
1958Round 113th3102510
1962Round 110th311123
1966Quarterfinals 5th421142
1970Did not qualify-------
1974Round 28th6123912
1978FinalChampions7511154
1982Round 2 12th520387
1986Final Champions7610145
1990FinalRunners-up723254
1994Round 29th420286
1998Quarterfinals7th5311104
2002Round 118th311122
2006 Quarterfinals6th5320113
Total14 appearances2 championships6533131911374

Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

[edit] Copa América record

     

[edit] Notable former players

[edit] Former managers

[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 reaction to a disallowed goal.

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. In an official online poll by FIFA, this was voted the best goal of the World Cup [1]

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 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]

The following players were called up to face Spain on October 11 2006

No. Pos. Player DoB/Age Caps Goals Club
1 GK Roberto Abbondanzieri 19 August 1972 27 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Getafe
2 DF Roberto Ayala 14 April 1973 106 7 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Valencia
3 DF Rodolfo Arruabarrena 20 July 1975 5 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Villarreal
4 DF Pablo Zabaleta 16 January 1985 2 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Espanyol
5 MF Javier Mascherano 8 June 1984 20 0 Image:Flag of England (bordered).svg West Ham United
6 DF Fabricio Coloccini 22 January 1982 25 1 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Deportivo la Coruna
7 FW Javier Saviola 11 December 1981 34 10 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona
8 MF Maxi Rodríguez 2 January 1981 18 6 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Atlético Madrid
9 MF Daniel Ruben Bilos 3 September 1980 2 0 Image:Flag of France.svg St-Étienne
10 MF Pablo Aimar 3 November 1979 41 7 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Real Zaragoza
11 FW Carlos Tévez 5 February 1984 25 4 Image:Flag of England (bordered).svg West Ham United
12 GK Leo Franco 29 May 1977 4 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Atlético Madrid
14 MF Leandro Ponzio 29 January 1982 1 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Real Zaragoza
15 DF Gabriel Milito 7 September 1980 18 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Real Zaragoza
16 MF Leandro Somoza 26 January 1981 2 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Villarreal
18 FW Sergio Agüero 2 June 1988 2 0 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Atlético Madrid
19 FW Lionel Messi 24 June 1987 12 2 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona
21 MF Federico Insúa 3 January 1980 2 0 Image:Flag of Germany.svg Borussia Mönchengladbach
22 MF Luis González 19 January 1981 31 5 Image:Flag of Portugal.svg Porto
DF Gabriel Heinze 19 April 1978 33 1 Image:Flag of England (bordered).svg Manchester United
FW Hernán Crespo 5 July 1975 59 32 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Internazionale

Gabriel Heinze and Hernán Crespo were in the original squad to face Spain but both pulled out due to injury.


[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 Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Independiente 0 (0) 2006 FIFA World Cup
Defenders
Name Date of birth Club Caps (goals) Most recent call up
Nicolás Burdisso 12 April 1981 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan 11 (0) 2006 FIFA World Cup
Leandro Cufré 9 May 1978 Image:Flag of France.svg Monaco 3 (0) 2006 FIFA World Cup
Fabricio Fuentes October 13, 1976 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Villarreal friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006<ref>Basile dio la lista de convocados para el partido con Brasil en Londres afa.org.ar (Spanish)</ref>
Hugo Benjamín Ibarra 1 April 1974 Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Clemente Rodríguez 31 July 1981 Image:Flag of Russia (bordered).svg Spartak Moscow friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Walter Samuel 23 March 1978 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Lionel Scaloni 16 May 1978 Image:Flag of Spain.svg Racing Santander 7 (0) 2006 FIFA World Cup
Juan Pablo Sorín 5 May 1976 Image:Flag of Germany.svg Hamburg 75 (11) 2006 FIFA World Cup
Midfielders
Name Date of birth Club Caps (goals) Most recent call up
Esteban Cambiasso 18 August 1980 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan 27 (2) 2006 FIFA World Cup
Juan Román Riquelme<ref name="retired">Retired from international football</ref> 24 June 1978 Image:Flag of Spain.svg 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 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan 17 (3) 2006 FIFA World Cup
César Delgado 18 August 1981 Image:Flag of Mexico.svg Cruz Azul friendly v. Brazil, September 3, 2006
Rodrigo Palacio 5 February 1982 Image:Flag of Argentina.svg 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.<ref>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.</ref>

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

<references/>

[edit] External links


Football in Argentina Image:Flag of Argentina.svg
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
International football

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FIFA | World Cup | U-20 World Cup | U-17 World Cup | Olympics | Asiad | Africand | PASO | Lusophony Games | Mediterranean Games | Jeux de la Francophonie | UNCAF National Cup | CFU Carribbean Cup | Confederations Cup | World Rankings | Player of the Year | Teams

     Asia: AFCAsian Cup
     Africa: CAFAfrican Cup of Nations
     North America: CONCACAFGold Cup
     South America: CONMEBOLCopa América
     Oceania: OFCNations Cup
     Europe: UEFAEuropean Championship
     NF-Board: NFBVIVA World Cup
National football teams of South America (CONMEBOL)

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Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil | Chile | Colombia | Ecuador | Paraguay | Peru | Uruguay | Venezuela

2006 FIFA World Cup finalists

v  d  e</div>

Champions: Italy 

Runners-up: France 

Third place: Germany 

Fourth place: Portugal 

Eliminated in Quarter-finals: Argentina | Brazil | England | Ukraine 

Eliminated in Round of 16: Australia | Ecuador | Ghana | Mexico | Netherlands | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland 

Eliminated in Group Stage: Angola | Costa Rica | Côte d'Ivoire | Croatia | Czech Republic | Iran | Japan | Korea Republic | Paraguay | Poland | Saudi Arabia | Serbia & Montenegro | Togo | Trinidad and Tobago | Tunisia | USA

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cs:Argentinská fotbalová reprezentace de:Argentinische Fußballnationalmannschaft es:Selección de fútbol de Argentina eo:Argentina nacia teamo de futbalo fr:Équipe d'Argentine de football ko:아르헨티나 축구 국가대표팀 hr:Argentinska nogometna reprezentacija id:Tim nasional sepak bola Argentina it:Nazionale di calcio dell'Argentina he:נבחרת ארגנטינה בכדורגל lv:Argentīnas futbola izlase lt:Argentinos vyrų futbolo rinktinė hu:Argentin labdarúgó-válogatott nl:Argentijns voetbalelftal ja:サッカーアルゼンチン代表 no:Argentinas herrelandslag i fotball pl:Reprezentacja Argentyny w piłce nożnej pt:Seleção Argentina de Futebol ro:Echipa naţională de fotbal a Argentinei ru:Сборная Аргентины по футболу sk:Argentínske národné futbalové mužstvo sr:Фудбалска репрезентација Аргентине fi:Argentiinan jalkapallomaajoukkue sv:Argentinas herrlandslag i fotboll vi:Đội tuyển bóng đá quốc gia Argentina tr:Arjantin Millî Futbol Takımı uk:Збірна Аргентини з футболу zh:阿根廷國家足球隊

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