Argentina national football team
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Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams, having won two World Cups and is currently the World Youth Champion and holder of the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal.
La Selección (also referred to as the Albicelestes (Blue and Whites)) have 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 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 due a controversial penalty.
Argentina have been very successful in Copa América, winning it eleven times and also winning the 'extra' South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946.
Besides the 2004 Gold Medal at the Olympic Games, Argentina won the Silver Medal in 1928 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
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.
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 Juan Román Riquelme, Esteban Cambiasso, and Pablo Aimar
- Argentina, 2001 with Javier Saviola, and Andrés D'Alessandro
- Netherlands, 2005 with Lionel Messi, and Sergio Agüero
A pre-tournament favourite at Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup, they were eliminated earlier than expected, losing in a memorable game against England in one of the most hotly anticipated matches of the entire opening stage.
On June 8 2005, Argentina qualified for their 14th World Cup Finals appearance by beating arch rivals Brazil 3-1 in Buenos Aires, but were eliminated on penalties to Germany in the quarter-finals, after being ahead until the final 10 minutes. [link] [link] [link]
Following Pekerman's resignation, as of July 2006 the team have no coach and AFA is considering temporarily offering the post to his second man Hugo Tocalli. [link]
World Cup record
| Year | Round | Position | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals Scored | Goals Against |
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Copa América record
Famous Past players
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Former Managers
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Argentina won their opening game of the tournament beating Ivory Coast 2-1. Goals for Argentina came from Chelsea's Hernan Crespo and Sevilla's Javier Saviola, and Ivory Coast's goal came from another Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba. Argentina beat Serbia and Montenegro on the 16th of June 2006, 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') Tevez(84')and Messi(88'). Crespo was booked for dissent in the 37th minute after his delightful chip over Jevrić into the net was harshly ruled out for offside.
On Saturday June 24th, the Argentinian squad defeated Mexico in a thrilling second round match that went into extra time. The final goal was a marvelous strike by Maxi Rodriguez (98'), volleying a shot out of the air off his chest, into the upper left corner of the net. However, on Friday June 30th, Argentina were defeated on penalties by Germany after both teams scored one goal during regulation time. Shortly after the elimination, coach Jose Pekerman resigned from his position.
Starting Line-Ups and Formations
| June 10 : Côte d'Ivoire 2-1 | |
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| By number of pitch classes : ditonic | tritonic | tetratonic | pentatonic | hexatonic | heptatonic | octatonic | |