Argentina national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Argentina

Nicknames	La Selección (The Selection) La Albiceleste  (The White and Sky Blue) La Scaloneta (The Scaloneta)
Association	Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA)
Confederation	CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach	Lionel Scaloni
Captain	Lionel Messi
Most caps	Lionel Messi (201)
Top scorer	Lionel Messi (122)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	ARG
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	11 (7 February 2019)
Highest	1 
Lowest	24 (August 1996)
First international
Uruguay 0–6 Argentina  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 20 July 1902)
Biggest win
Argentina 12–0 Ecuador  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January 1942)
Biggest defeat
Czechoslovakia 6–1 Argentina  (Helsingborg, Sweden; 15 June 1958),  Bolivia 6–1 Argentina  (La Paz, Bolivia; 1 April 2009)  Spain 6–1 Argentina  (Madrid, Spain; 27 March 2018)
World Cup
Appearances	19 (first in [[1930  FIFA World Cup|1930 ]])
Best result	Champions (1978, 1986, 2022)
Copa América
Appearances	44 (first in 1916 )
Best result	Champions (1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1991, 1993, 2021, 2024)
Panamerican Championship
Appearances	2 (first in 1956 )
Best result	Champions (1960)
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Appearances	3 (first in 1993 )
Best result	Champions (1993, 2022)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 1992 )
Best result	Champions (1992)
Medal record FIFA World Cup Gold 1978 Argentina Team Gold 1986 Mexico Team Gold 2022 Qatar Team Silver 1930 Uruguay Team Silver 1990 Italy Team Silver 2014 Brazil Team Olympic Games Silver 1928 Amsterdam Team FIFA Confederations Cup Gold 1992 Saudi Arabia Team Silver 1995 Saudi Arabia Team Silver 2005 Germany Team Copa América Gold 1921 Argentina Team Gold 1925 Argentina Team Gold 1927 Peru Team Gold 1929 Argentina Team Gold 1937 Argentina Team Gold 1941 Chile Team Gold 1945 Chile Team Gold 1946 Argentina Team Gold 1947 Ecuador Team Gold 1955 Chile Team Gold 1957 Peru Team Gold 1959 Argentina Team Gold 1991 Chile Team Gold 1993 Ecuador Team Gold 2021 Brazil Team Gold 2024 United States Team Silver 1916 Argentina Team Silver 1917 Uruguay Team Silver 1920 Chile Team Silver 1923 Uruguay Team Silver 1924 Uruguay Team Silver 1926 Chile Team Silver 1935 Peru Team Silver 1942 Uruguay Team Silver 1959 Ecuador Team Silver 1967 Uruguay Team Silver 2004 Peru Team Silver 2007 Venezuela Team Silver 2015 Chile Team Silver 2016 United States Team Bronze 1919 Brazil Team Bronze 1956 Uruguay Team Bronze 1963 Bolivia Team Bronze 1989 Brazil Team Bronze 2019 Brazil Team Panamerican Championship Gold 1960 Costa Rica Team Silver 1956 Mexico Team CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Gold 1993 Argentina Team Gold 2022 England Team

The Argentina national football team, also known as La Albiceleste (which means "The White and Sky Blue"), is the official football team for men representing Argentina. The Argentine Football Association manages the team. Argentina has been part of FIFA since 1912 and helped start CONMEBOL in 1916.

Argentina is currently the FIFA World Cup champion, winning the trophy in 2022. They also won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986. Overall, they have played in the World Cup final six times.

The team has won the Copa América a record 16 times, with their most recent win in 2024. They are the only country to win this tournament three times in a row (1945, 1946, and 1947). Argentina also won the Panamerican Championship in 1960, the first FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992, and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions twice (1993 and 2022). They hold the record for the most official international titles, with 23.

Famous players like Diego Maradona (1986) and Lionel Messi (2014, 2022) have won the Golden Ball award for best player. Lionel Messi has played the most games for Argentina (201) and scored the most goals (122). As of June 11, 2026, Argentina is ranked 1st in the FIFA Men's World Ranking. They have exciting rivalries with teams like Brazil, England, Germany, and Uruguay.

The Story of Argentina's Football Team

Argentina played its very first match against Uruguay on June 20, 1902. This historic game took place in Montevideo, and Argentina won with a score of 6–0. For many years, the team mostly played friendly games against other South American countries. Traveling long distances was difficult back then.

World Cup Triumphs

Argentina has reached the FIFA World Cup final six times. Their first final was in 1930, where they lost to Uruguay. Argentina won their first World Cup in 1978, beating the Netherlands 3–1.

In 1986, the legendary player Diego Maradona led Argentina to their second World Cup title. They won 3–2 against West Germany. Maradona also took the team to the final in 1990, but they lost 1–0 to West Germany.

With Lionel Messi as captain, Argentina reached the final in 2014. They were defeated 1–0 by Germany in extra time. Argentina then won their third FIFA World Cup in 2022. They beat France in a thrilling penalty shootout after the game ended 3–3. The coaches who led Argentina to World Cup victories are César Luis Menotti (1978), Carlos Bilardo (1986), and Lionel Scaloni (2022).

Other Major Wins

Argentina has also won the Copa América 16 times, including the most recent one in 2024. The team also won the first-ever FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992. They also claimed the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 1993 and 2022. In March 2007, Argentina achieved the top spot in the FIFA Men's World Ranking for the first time.

Home Stadiums of Argentina

Argentina usually plays its home games at the Estadio Monumental. This stadium belongs to Club Atlético River Plate and is located in Buenos Aires. They also play at other stadiums like Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades and La Bombonera.

Historic Venues

The GEBA Stadium was one of the first places Argentina played home matches. In 1908, during a game against Uruguay, Argentina officially wore its famous white and light blue striped jersey for the first time. GEBA Stadium also hosted the Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo in 1910. This was an early competition for South American teams, similar to the Copa América.

Another important stadium was Estadio Sportivo Barracas, used from 1920 to 1932. In 1924, a player named Cesáreo Onzari scored a goal directly from a corner kick there. This special type of goal is now often called an Olimpico goal.

Team Look and Uniforms

Argentina's Football Kits

The classic light blue and white-striped jersey first worn on 2 July 1908 in a friendly match in São Paulo

When Argentina first played in 1902, their kit included a light blue shirt. On July 2, 1908, they wore a white jersey with light blue vertical stripes for the first time. This striped jersey became their official look and has been used ever since. The team's away kits are usually dark blue, with different colors for shorts and socks over the years.

Sometimes, Argentina has worn special kits. In 1919, they wore a light blue kit similar to Uruguay's. This was to honor Roberto Chery, a Uruguayan goalkeeper who sadly passed away during a match. In the 1958 World Cup, Argentina even wore the yellow jersey of a Swedish club because they arrived without their away kit!

Diego Maradona, wearing Argentina's customary blue kit, celebrates his "Goal of the Century" against England in 1986

At the 1986 World Cup, Argentina's manager, Carlos Bilardo, needed lighter blue shirts for a game against England. Since the official supplier couldn't provide them quickly, a staff member bought 38 plain shirts. They then added an improvised team emblem and numbers. In these unique jerseys, Argentina beat England, with Diego Maradona scoring his famous "Hand of God goal". This shirt became a memorable part of football history.

More recently, Argentina wore a black away kit in the 2018 World Cup. In the 2022 World Cup, they wore a purple away kit for the first time in a competitive match.

Kit Suppliers Over Time

Kit supplier	Period	Ref.
St. Margaret	1901–1924
Gath & Chaves	1925–1934
(no data for the 1935–1957 period)
Industria Lanús	1958–1963
Noceto Sports	1964–1965
Sportlandia	1966
Industria Lanús	1967–1973
Adidas	1974–1979
Le Coq Sportif	1980–1989
Adidas	1990–1998
Reebok	1999–2001
Adidas	2002–present

Team Emblem and Stars

The AFA emblem that was added to playing kits in 1976

Argentina has used the Argentine Football Association (AFA) logo as its team emblem since the 1958 World Cup. At first, it was only on jackets, but by 1976, it appeared on the jerseys. The emblem got a laurel wreath added for the 1982 World Cup.

To show their World Cup wins, two stars were added above the crest in 2004. These stars represented their victories in 1978 and 1986. After Argentina won their third World Cup in 2022, a third star was proudly added to the emblem.

Recent Matches and Upcoming Games

Here are the results from Argentina's matches in the last year, along with any games scheduled for the future.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2025 Matches

Argentina  v  Venezuela

4 September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification	Argentina	3–0	Venezuela	Buenos Aires, Argentina
20:30 ARG (UTC−3)	Messi  39', 80' La. Martínez  76'			Stadium: Estadio Monumental Attendance: 76,490 Referee: Piero Maza (Chile)

Ecuador  v  Argentina

9 September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification	Ecuador	1–0	Argentina	Guayaquil, Ecuador
18:00 ECU (UTC−5)	Valencia  45+13' (pen.)			Stadium: Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)

Argentina  v  Venezuela

10 October Friendly	Argentina	1–0	Venezuela	Miami Gardens, Florida United States
20:00 EDT (UTC−4)	Lo Celso  31'			Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium Referee: Tori Penso (United States)

Puerto Rico  v  Argentina

14 October Friendly	Puerto Rico	0–6	Argentina	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
18:00 EDT (UTC−4)			Mac Allister  14', 36' Montiel  23' Echevarria  64' (o.g.) La. Martínez  79', 84'	Stadium: Chase Stadium Referee: Armando Villarreal (United States)

Angola  v  Argentina

14 November Friendly	Angola	0–2	Argentina	Luanda, Angola
17:00 WAT (UTC+1)			La. Martínez  43' Messi  82'	Stadium: Estádio 11 de Novembro Referee: Hillary Hambaba (Zambia)

2026 Matches

Argentina  v  Mauritania

27 March Friendly	Argentina	2–1	Mauritania	Buenos Aires, Argentina
20:15 ARG (UTC–3)	Fernández  17' Paz  32'		Lefort  90+4'	Stadium: La Bombonera Attendance: 45,760 Referee: Derlis López (Paraguay)

Argentina  v  Zambia

31 March Friendly	Argentina	5–0	Zambia	Buenos Aires, Argentina
20:30 ARG (UTC–3)	Alvarez  4' Messi  43' Otamendi  50' (pen.) Chanda  68' (o.g.) Barco  90+4'			Stadium: La Bombonera Attendance: 50,000 Referee: Alexis Herrera (Venezuela)

Argentina  v  Honduras

6 June Friendly	Argentina	2–0	Honduras	College Station, Texas, United States
19:00 CDT (UTC−5)	La. Martínez  37' (pen.) Simeone  54'			Stadium: Kyle Field Attendance: 91,102 Referee: Victor Rivas (United States)

Argentina  v  Iceland

9 June Friendly	Argentina	3–0	Iceland	Auburn, Alabama, United States
19:30 CDT (UTC−5)	Barco  8' Messi  72' (pen.) Almada  86'			Stadium: Jordan–Hare Stadium Attendance: 88,043 Referee: Rosendo Mendoza (United States)

Argentina  v  Algeria

16 June 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J	Argentina	3–0	Algeria	Kansas City, Missouri, United States
20:00 CDT (UTC−5)	Messi  17' (60), 76'			Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium Attendance: 69,045 Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)

Argentina  v  Austria

22 June 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J	Argentina	2–0	Austria	Arlington, Texas, United States
12:00 CDT (UTC−5)	Messi  38' (90+5)			Stadium: AT&T Stadium Attendance: 70,649 Referee: Amin Omar (Egypt)

Jordan  v  Argentina

27 June 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J	Jordan	v	Argentina	Arlington, Texas, United States
21:00 CDT (UTC−5)				Stadium: AT&T Stadium

Argentina  v

July 2026 FIFA World Cup R32

Argentina

v

Argentina's Coaching Staff

Current head coach Lionel Scaloni

Position	Name
Head coach	Lionel Scaloni
Assistant coach	Pablo Aimar
	Roberto Ayala
	Walter Samuel
Goalkeeping coach	Martín Tocalli
Fitness coach	Luis Martín
Video analyst	Matías Manna
Team coordinator	Nicolás Russo
Academy manager	Bernardo Romeo
Base camp coordinator	Oscar Dertycia
Goalkeeping coordinator	Mauro Dobler

Argentina's Players

Current Squad

The following 26 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Leonardo Balerdi had to leave due to a calf injury on June 6 and was replaced by Marcos Senesi. Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of June 22, 2026, after the match against Austria.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Juan Musso	(1994-05-06) 6 May 1994 (age 32)	4	0	Atlético Madrid
12	1GK	Gerónimo Rulli	(1992-05-20) 20 May 1992 (age 34)	8	0	Marseille
23	1GK	Emiliano Martínez	(1992-09-02) 2 September 1992 (age 33)	61	0	Aston Villa
2	2DF	Marcos Senesi	(1997-05-10) 10 May 1997 (age 29)	3	0	Bournemouth
3	2DF	Nicolás Tagliafico	(1992-08-31) 31 August 1992 (age 33)	77	1	Lyon
4	2DF	Gonzalo Montiel	(1997-01-01) 1 January 1997 (age 29)	40	2	River Plate
6	2DF	Lisandro Martínez	(1998-01-18) 18 January 1998 (age 28)	30	1	Manchester United
8	2DF	Valentín Barco	(2004-07-23) 23 July 2004 (age 21)	4	2	Strasbourg
13	2DF	Cristian Romero	(1998-04-27) 27 April 1998 (age 28)	53	3	Tottenham Hotspur
19	2DF	Nicolás Otamendi	(1988-02-12) 12 February 1988 (age 38)	134	8	Benfica
25	2DF	Facundo Medina	(1999-05-28) 28 May 1999 (age 27)	11	0	Marseille
26	2DF	Nahuel Molina	(1998-04-06) 6 April 1998 (age 28)	60	1	Atlético Madrid
5	3MF	Leandro Paredes	(1994-06-29) 29 June 1994 (age 32)	78	5	Boca Juniors
7	3MF	Rodrigo De Paul	(1994-05-24) 24 May 1994 (age 32)	89	2	Inter Miami
11	3MF	Giovani Lo Celso	(1996-04-09) 9 April 1996 (age 30)	67	4	Betis
14	3MF	Exequiel Palacios	(1998-10-05) 5 October 1998 (age 27)	40	0	Bayer Leverkusen
16	3MF	Thiago Almada	(2001-04-26) 26 April 2001 (age 25)	18	5	Atlético Madrid
18	3MF	Nico Paz	(2004-09-08) 8 September 2004 (age 21)	10	1	Como
20	3MF	Alexis Mac Allister	(1998-12-24) 24 December 1998 (age 27)	48	6	Liverpool
24	3MF	Enzo Fernández	(2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 25)	44	6	Chelsea
9	4FW	Julián Alvarez	(2000-01-31) 31 January 2000 (age 26)	53	14	Atlético Madrid
10	4FW	Lionel Messi (Captain)	(1987-06-24) 24 June 1987 (age 39)	201	122	Inter Miami
15	4FW	Nicolás González	(1998-04-06) 6 April 1998 (age 28)	53	6	Atlético Madrid
17	4FW	Giuliano Simeone	(2002-12-18) 18 December 2002 (age 23)	13	2	Atlético Madrid
21	4FW	José Manuel López	(2000-12-06) 6 December 2000 (age 25)	5	0	Palmeiras
22	4FW	Lautaro Martínez	(1997-08-22) 22 August 1997 (age 28)	79	37	Internazionale

Recent Call-ups

The following players have also been called up for the team in the last twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Santiago Beltrán	(2004-10-04) 4 October 2004 (age 21)	1	0	River Plate	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE; v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
GK	Walter Benítez	(1993-01-19) 19 January 1993 (age 33)	1	0	Crystal Palace	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
GK	Facundo Cambeses	(1997-04-09) 9 April 1997 (age 29)	1	0	Racing	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Leonardo Balerdi	(1999-01-26) 26 January 1999 (age 27)	11	0	Marseille	2026 FIFA World Cup INJ
DF	Agustín Giay	(2004-01-16) 16 January 2004 (age 22)	3	0	Palmeiras	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE; v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
DF	Nicolás Capaldo	(1998-09-14) 14 September 1998 (age 27)	1	0	Hamburger SV	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE; v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
DF	Simón Escobar	(2009-07-17) 17 July 2009 (age 16)	0	0	Vélez Sarsfield	v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
DF	Ignacio Ovando	(2007-06-29) 29 June 2007 (age 19)	0	0	Rosario Central	v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
DF	Marcos Acuña	(1991-10-28) 28 October 1991 (age 34)	62	0	River Plate	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Germán Pezzella	(1991-06-27) 27 June 1991 (age 35)	42	3	River Plate	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Lucas Martínez Quarta	(1996-05-10) 10 May 1996 (age 30)	16	0	River Plate	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Kevin Mac Allister	(1997-11-07) 7 November 1997 (age 28)	1	0	Union Saint-Gilloise	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Gabriel Rojas	(1997-06-22) 22 June 1997 (age 29)	1	0	Racing	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Lautaro Di Lollo	(2004-03-10) 10 March 2004 (age 22)	0	0	Boca Juniors	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Zaid Romero	(1999-12-15) 15 December 1999 (age 26)	0	0	Getafe	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
DF	Tomás Palacios	(2003-04-28) 28 April 2003 (age 23)	0	0	Estudiantes	v.  Zambia, 31 March 2026
DF	Juan Foyth	(1998-01-12) 12 January 1998 (age 28)	22	0	Villarreal	v.  Angola, 14 November 2025
DF	Lautaro Rivero	(2003-11-01) 1 November 2003 (age 22)	1	0	River Plate	v.  Puerto Rico, 14 October 2025
DF	Julio Soler	(2005-02-16) 16 February 2005 (age 21)	0	0	Bournemouth	v.  Ecuador, 9 September 2025
MF	Guido Rodríguez	(1994-04-12) 12 April 1994 (age 32)	30	1	Valencia	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Nicolás Domínguez	(1998-06-28) 28 June 1998 (age 28)	11	1	Nottingham Forest	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Emiliano Buendía	(1996-12-25) 25 December 1996 (age 29)	2	0	Aston Villa	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Máximo Perrone	(2003-01-07) 7 January 2003 (age 23)	2	0	Como	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Aníbal Moreno	(1999-05-13) 13 May 1999 (age 27)	1	0	River Plate	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Milton Delgado	(2005-06-16) 16 June 2005 (age 21)	0	0	Boca Juniors	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Equi Fernández	(2002-07-25) 25 July 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Bayer Leverkusen	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
MF	Alan Varela	(2001-07-04) 4 July 2001 (age 25)	0	0	Porto	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Joaquín Freitas	(2006-12-02) 2 December 2006 (age 19)	1	0	River Plate	v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
FW	Tomás Aranda	(2007-05-09) 9 May 2007 (age 19)	1	0	Boca Juniors	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE; v.  Iceland, 9 June 2026
FW	Alejandro Garnacho	(2004-07-01) 1 July 2004 (age 22)	8	0	Chelsea	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Franco Mastantuono	(2007-08-14) 14 August 2007 (age 18)	4	0	Real Madrid	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Gianluca Prestianni	(2006-01-31) 31 January 2006 (age 20)	1	0	Benfica	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Santiago Castro	(2004-09-18) 18 September 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Bologna	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Claudio Echeverri	(2006-01-02) 2 January 2006 (age 20)	0	0	Girona	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Mateo Pellegrino	(2001-10-22) 22 October 2001 (age 24)	0	0	Parma	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Matías Soulé	(2003-04-15) 15 April 2003 (age 23)	0	0	Roma	2026 FIFA World Cup PRE
FW	Joaquín Panichelli	(2002-10-07) 7 October 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Strasbourg	v.  Mauritania, 27 March 2026 INJ
FW	Valentín Carboni	(2005-03-05) 5 March 2005 (age 21)	3	0	Racing	v.  Ecuador, 9 September 2025
FW	Ángel Correa	(1995-03-09) 9 March 1995 (age 31)	28	3	UANL	v.  Venezuela, 4 September 2025 PRE
Notes INJ = Withdrew due to injury. PRE = Preliminary squad. SUS = Suspended. RET = Retired from the national team. WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Player Records and Achievements

Players in bold are still active with Argentina.

Most Games Played

Argentina national football team records and statistics

Top Goal Scorers

Argentina national football team records and statistics

World Cup Winning Captains

Exciting Football Rivalries

Argentina vs. Brazil

Argentina and Brazil have a very strong and old rivalry in South American football. Games between these two teams are often full of exciting moments and sometimes even disagreements. This rivalry is known as the "Superclassic of the Americas." FIFA calls it the "heart of football rivalry."

The rivalry also includes debates about who is better: Pelé from Brazil or Diego Maradona from Argentina. In today's game, Neymar (Brazil) and Lionel Messi (Argentina) are often compared. Both Pelé and Maradona have said that Neymar and Messi are their "successors."

Argentina vs. England

The rivalry between Argentina and England started around the 1966 World Cup. It became even more intense due to historical events between the two countries. They have played many important matches in World Cup tournaments.

One famous game was the quarter-final in 1986. Diego Maradona scored two goals against England. The first was a handball, but the referee allowed it. The second goal, scored minutes later, saw Maradona dribble past five English players. Many people call it one of the greatest goals in football history.

The teams met again in the 1998 World Cup (Argentina won on penalties) and the 2002 World Cup (England won 1–0).

Argentina vs. Germany

Diego Maradona and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge before the 1986 World Cup final between Argentina and West Germany

Argentina has played Germany seven times in the FIFA World Cup, including three World Cup finals. Argentina won 3–2 in 1986. However, Germany won 1–0 in both the 1990 and 2014 finals.

Their first World Cup meeting was in 1958, where Argentina lost 3–1 to West Germany. In 1966, their group stage match ended in a 0–0 draw. In the 2006 quarter-finals, Argentina lost on penalties after a 1–1 draw. They met again at the same stage in 2010, with Germany winning 4–0. Their third consecutive World Cup match was the 2014 final, where Germany won 1–0 in extra time.

Argentina vs. Uruguay

Argentina has a long-standing rivalry with its neighbor, Uruguay. This rivalry began with early South American Championships, the 1928 Summer Olympics, and the first World Cup final in 1930. Argentina and Uruguay have played more international matches against each other than any other two countries. They have faced off 197 times since 1902. Their first match was also the first official international game played outside the United Kingdom.

Argentina vs. Netherlands

Sports experts consider Argentina and the Netherlands to be two historically great football teams. They have developed an intense rivalry over the years. They have played ten times in total, including six matches during the World Cup.

Their first game was a friendly match on May 26, 1974, which the Netherlands won 4–1. Their most famous match was the 1978 World Cup final, which Argentina won. One of their most recent and exciting games was in the 2022 World Cup. It was a 2–2 draw, and Argentina won on penalties in a match known as the Battle of Lusail.

Team Honours and Awards

Global Titles

• FIFA World Cup
  • Champions (3): 1978, 1986, 2022
  • Runners-up (3): 1930, 1990, 2014
• Olympic Games
  • Silver medal (1): 1928
• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Champions (1): 1992
  • Runners-up (2): 1995, 2005

Intercontinental Titles

• Artemio Franchi Trophy / Finalissima
  • Champions (2): 1993, 2022 (record)

Continental Titles

• South American Championship / Copa América
  • Champions (16): 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959-I, 1991, 1993, 2021, 2024 (record)
  • Runners-up (14): 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1959-II, 1967, 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016
  • Third place (5): 1919, 1956, 1963, 1989, 2019
• Panamerican Championship
  • Champions (1): 1960
  • Runners-up (1): 1956

Friendly Competition Wins

• Newton Cup (17): 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1937, 1942, 1945, 1957, 1973, 1975, 1976 (record)
• Lipton Cup (18): 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1913, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1928, 1937, 1942, 1945, 1957, 1962, 1968, 1976, 1992 (record)
• Copa Premier Honor Argentino (7): 1909, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1918, 1919, 1920 (record)
• Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo (1): 1910
• Copa Premier Honor Uruguayo (5): 1915, 1916, 1917, 1923, 1924
• Roca Cup (4): 1923, 1939, 1940, 1971^s
• Copa Juan Mignaburu (5): 1935, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1943 (record)
• Copa Héctor Rivadavia Gómez (3): 1935, 1936, 1943 (record)
• Nations' Cup (1): 1964
• Kirin Cup (2): 1992, 2003
• Copa Times of India (1): 2011
• Superclásico de las Américas (2): 2017, 2019
• San Juan Cup (1): 2019

Special Awards

• FIFA Team of the Year (4): 2007, 2016, 2023, 2024
• Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year (1): 2023
• World Soccer World Team of the Year (2): 1986, 2022
• Gazzetta Sports World Team of the Year (2): 1978, 1986
• Guerin Sportivo Team of the Year (1): 1986
• FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy (1): 1978
• Copa America Fair Play Award (1): 2016
• AIPS Team of the Year (2): 2022, 2023

Timeline of Major Titles

Host nation	Tournament	Year	No.
Argentina	Copa América	1921	1st
Argentina	Copa América	1925	2nd
Peru	Copa América	1927	3rd
Argentina	Copa América	1929	4th
Argentina	Copa América	1937	5th
Chile	Copa América	1941	6th
Chile	Copa América	1945	7th
Argentina	Copa América	1946	8th
Ecuador	Copa América	1947	9th
Chile	Copa América	1955	10th
Peru	Copa América	1957	11th
Argentina	Copa América	1959	12th
Costa Rica	Panamerican Championship	1960	13th
Argentina	World Cup	1978	14th
Mexico	World Cup	1986	15th
Chile	Copa América	1991	16th
Saudi Arabia	Confederations Cup	1992	17th
Argentina	Artemio Franchi Cup	1993	18th
Ecuador	Copa América	1993	19th
Brazil	Copa América	2021	20th
England	Finalissima	2022	21st
Qatar	World Cup	2022	22nd
United States	Copa América	2024	23rd

Summary of Wins

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	3	3	0	6
FIFA Confederations Cup	1	2	0	3
Olympic Games	0	1	0	1
CONMEBOL Copa América	16	14	5	35
Panamerican Championship1	1	1	0	2
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions	2	0	0	2
Total	23	21	5	49

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Argentina para niños

• List of Argentina international footballers