Argentina · History

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in international men's football and is governed by the Argentine Football Association. A member of CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, the side is known as the Albiceleste, a reference to the sky-blue and white stripes of its shirt drawn from the national flag. It is one of the most successful national teams in the history of the sport, a record built across more than a century of continental and global competition.

Argentina has won the FIFA World Cup three times, lifting the trophy in 1978, 1986 and 2022. Each of those titles is marked by a star above the team's crest, the three stars that supporters cherish as a symbol of the nation's footballing identity. The Albiceleste have also been a dominant force in the Copa América, the oldest international tournament in the world, and have produced two of the players most often described as the greatest of all time, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

The story of the team is one of passion, talent and resilience, of long droughts broken by moments of collective joy. From laying tactical foundations in the 1960s to the triumph in Qatar in 2022, Argentina has remained a fixture among the elite of world football, its fortunes followed obsessively by a country where the game is woven into daily life.

History

During the 1960s the Argentine national team began to lay the foundations for future success. Although it did not achieve significant titles in that decade, it took part actively in international competitions, including the South American championship, the tournament now known as the Copa América, and the qualifying rounds for the World Cup. This era was important for the tactical and technical development of the national team, paving the way for the emerging stars who would follow. Argentine football of the period drew its strength from a deep domestic structure built around clubs such as River Plate, Boca Juniors, Independiente and Racing Club, whose intense rivalries fed talent into the national side and shaped a culture obsessed with the game.

The 1978 World Cup on home soil

The 1970s were dominated by the preparation for and staging of the 1978 FIFA World Cup, held in Argentina. Under the technical direction of César Luis Menotti, the national team adopted an attacking and fluid style of play that culminated in winning its first World Cup title on home soil. The road to glory was not without difficulty, with criticism and pressure both on and off the field in a complex political and social context. Argentina came through the group stage and the second round with convincing performances to reach the final against the Netherlands. On 25 June 1978, at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina defeated the Dutch 3-1 after extra time, with goals from Mario Kempes, the star of the tournament, and Daniel Bertoni. The triumph consolidated Argentina as a world football power and united the country in a collective celebration, providing a moment of joy in difficult times.

The Maradona era

The 1980s will forever be associated with Diego Armando Maradona, one of the most outstanding footballers of all time. His performance at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico was legendary, leading Argentina to its second World Cup title. Coached by Carlos Bilardo, the team combined technical skill, tactical discipline and unwavering determination, with Maradona at the heart of its success. Argentina advanced through the competition with key victories, including the iconic quarter-final against England, where Maradona scored two of the most famous goals in football history, the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century," a marvel of individual skill. The final against West Germany was played on 29 June 1986 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, where Argentina won 3-2 in a thrilling encounter, with Jorge Valdano, Jorge Burruchaga and Maradona himself playing decisive roles. Maradona's influence, both on and off the pitch, profoundly marked the national team throughout the decade.

The 1990s represented a time of change and challenge. Despite a talented generation of players, among them Gabriel Batistuta and Diego Simeone, the team struggled in major international competitions. The 1993 Copa América, won in Ecuador, was a high point and the last senior title the country would claim for a generation. Frustrations at the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups, where Argentina showed flashes of brilliance but failed to reach the final, reflected an era of missed opportunities. The side continued to draw on the attacking traditions established under Menotti and Bilardo, but found the path to a third world title repeatedly blocked.

The wait for a third star

In the 2000s the national team continued its quest for that elusive third world crown, reaching the final of the Copa América on several occasions, in 2004 and 2007, and playing attractive football at the World Cups. Yet success eluded the team at the crucial moments. It was during this period that the generation of Lionel Messi, considered by many the finest player ever to grace the game, began to make its presence felt, promising a bright future for the Albiceleste. Messi, who had emerged from the youth ranks of Barcelona in Spain, gradually became the focal point around which the senior side was built.

Under the leadership of Messi, Argentina reached the final of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a tournament that revitalised the love and passion for the national team. Despite a narrow defeat to Germany in the final, the side showed cohesion and a high level of competence. Back-to-back Copa América finals in 2015 and 2016, although both ending in penalty shootout defeats, demonstrated the consistency and talent of the Argentine team on the continental stage, even as the absence of silverware weighed heavily on a player and a country desperate for a trophy.

Glory in Qatar

The drought finally ended with victory at the Copa América in 2021, with Messi at the helm, a result that closed a long period without major titles and symbolised the beginning of a new chapter for Argentine football. That triumph set the stage for the crowning achievement of the era. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar represented a renaissance for the national team, crowning them world champions for the third time and culminating a tournament of contrasts and emotion. Under the technical direction of Lionel Scaloni, and led by Messi in what many anticipated would be his last World Cup, Argentina blended experience, young talent and an unbreakable team spirit. After a surprising opening loss to Saudi Arabia, the side bounced back in impressive fashion, overcoming Mexico, Poland, Australia, the Netherlands and Croatia on the way to the final.

The final against France, held on 18 December 2022 at the Lusail Stadium, was an epic encounter that ended 3-3 after extra time, marked by intensity, drama and quality of play. Argentina prevailed in the penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez proving crucial. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé shone for their respective teams, but the night belonged to Argentina, who celebrated a long-awaited triumph and brought Messi's World Cup story to its summit. The victory, the third in the nation's history, sealed the team's place among the most decorated in the world game and added the third star above the crest worn by the Albiceleste.

Honours

• FIFA World Cup: champions 1978, 1986, 2022 (runners-up 1930, 1990, 2014)
• Copa América: champions 16 times, including 1993, 2021 and 2024
• CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions (Finalissima): winners 1993, 2022
• FIFA Confederations Cup: champions 1992
• Olympic Games: gold medal 2004, 2008