Argentina men's national football team

History

The first ever match Argentina played was against Uruguay on 20 June 1902, in Montevideo. It was the first international match for both sides, and Argentina won 6–0. During the first years of Argentina's existence, the team only played friendly matches against other South American teams. The reasons for this varied, including long travel times between countries and the outbreak of World War I.

Argentina has appeared in the FIFA World Cup final seven times, including the first ever final on 30 July 1930, which they lost 4–2 to Uruguay. Argentina won their next final on 25 June 1978, beating the Netherlands 3–1 on extra time. In 1986, Diego Maradona led Argentina to their second title with a 3–2 victory over West Germany. Maradona led Argentina to the final again in 1990, but the team lost 1–0 to West Germany by a much-disputed penalty. With Lionel Messi as captain, Argentina reached the final in 2014, where they were defeated 1–0 by Germany in extra time. Argentina won their third FIFA World Cup in 2022 by defeating France in a penalty shoot-out, after a 3–3 draw. In the 2026 World Cup, Argentina reached the final again but lost 1–0 to Spain, finishing as runners-up. This match was very controversial as many football fans deemed the Argentine team's behavior after losing the game to be unprofessional. Argentina's World Cup-winning managers are César Luis Menotti (1978), Carlos Bilardo (1986) and Lionel Scaloni (2022).

Argentina has won the Copa América a record 16 times, most recently in 2024. The team also won the inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992 and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 1993 and 2022. In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA Men's World Ranking for the first time.

Stadiums

Argentina plays most of its home matches at Estadio Monumental, the stadium of Club Atlético River Plate in Buenos Aires. The team frequently uses other venues as well, including Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades and La Bombonera.

Estadio GEBA was the first stadium Argentina used for home matches, including the Copa Newton match against Uruguay on 13 September 1908. The 1908 match marked the official debut of Argentina's white and light blue striped jersey, which has been the team's defining uniform up to the present day. GEBA was also used for the Copa Centenario Revolución de Mayo, which was organised by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in 1910. It was the first competition between South American national teams, and is considered the predecessor of the Copa América.

Estadio Sportivo Barracas was often used by Argentina from 1920 to 1932. Playing in the stadium on 2 October 1924, Argentina forward Cesáreo Onzari scored directly from a corner kick, the first reported instance of this feat in football. Because Uruguay had recently won the gold medal at the 1924 Olympics, this type of goal is now often referred to as an Olimpico.

Team image

Kit

The first kit ever worn by Argentina, in their official debut against Uruguay in 1902, included a light blue shirt.

On 9 July 1906, Argentina wore the lightblue and white shirt for the first time in a match v South Africa during their tour of South America. The match was held in Sociedad Sportiva Argentina. Since then, the albiceleste shirt has remained as the definitive kit for Argentina. The team's away kits have been in dark blue shades, with the colours of shorts and socks varying from time to time.

Argentina has also sported other kits; on 3 June 1919 in Rio de Janeiro, playing against Brazil, Argentina wore a light blue kit, similar to that of Uruguay, out of respect for Roberto Chery, a substitute goalkeeper for Uruguay, who had collapsed and died during a match against Chile at the 1919 South American Championship; the match between Argentina and Brazil was organised by the Brazilian Football Confederation for the benefit of Chery's relatives. At the 1958 World Cup, Argentina wore the yellow jersey of Swedish club IFK Malmö against West Germany, as the team had arrived in Sweden without an away kit.

At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the then-manager, Carlos Bilardo, asked the team's kit supplier, Le Coq Sportif, for lighter blue shirts for their quarter-final against England in three days, but they could not be provided. Then, a member of the coaching staff scoured the shops of Mexico City for 38 plain shirts, which were transformed with an improvised version of the AFA emblem embroidered on the shirts and silvery American football numbers ironed to the backs.

Sporting the makeshift jerseys, Argentina beat England on 22 June, with Diego Maradona scoring his famous "Hand of God goal". Afterwards, the shirt became a symbol of the occasion and an important collector's item.

At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Argentina debuted a black away kit; and at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, they wore a purple away kit in a competitive match for the first time.

In July 2026, the Argentina national rugby team played their 2026 Nations Championship match vs England wearing a kit that was an exact replica of the model worn in 1986, including details like the silver numbers on back. The kit –manufactured by Pumas kit supplier Le Coq Sportif, the same than Argentina in 1986– was a limited edition to commemorate the 40th. anniversary of the historic football match.

Crest

Argentina has used the logo of the Argentine Football Association as its emblem since it was first worn at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden; the logo was added to the team's jackets, but not the shirts. The emblem was not used on jerseys until 16 November 1976, when Argentina played the Soviet Union at Estadio Monumental. At the beginning, the crest used did not include a laurel wreath, which was first added for the 1982 World Cup.

As a respected and common practice, two stars were added above the crest in 2004, symbolising Argentina's World Cup titles in 1978 and 1986. In 2022, a third star was added after Argentina were crowned world champions for the third time.

The 1976 crest has been credited to Norberto "Toto" Rud, a Buenos Aires businessman, graphic designer, football supporter, and member of the Jewish sports club Club Náutico Hacoaj. Rud submitted approximately 20 designs to the Argentine Football Association, and the selected crest debuted in a friendly against the Soviet Union on 28 November 1976.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Win

Draw

Loss

Fixture

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Leonardo Balerdi withdrew due to a calf injury on 6 June and was replaced by Marcos Senesi.

Caps and goals are correct as of 19 July 2026, after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain.

Recent call-ups

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

Individual records and achievements

As of 19 July 2026

Players in bold are still active with Argentina.

Competitive record

Champions Runners-up Third place Tournament played fully or partially on home soil

Head-to-head record

Below is a result summary of all matches Argentina has played against FIFA recognised teams.

As of 19 July 2026, after the match against Spain.

Positive record

Neutral record

Negative record

Rivalries

Brazil

Argentina and Brazil have a fierce rivalry which is one of the oldest in South America. Matches between the two teams, even those that are only friendly matches, are often marked by notable and controversial incidents. The rivalry has also been referred to as the "Superclassic of the Americas." FIFA has described it as the "essence of football rivalry".

The rivalry has extended to comparisons between Pelé and Diego Maradona. Some of their countrymen also feature regularly in such debates. The next most notable pair are perhaps Garrincha (Brazil) and Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina). The most dominant figures from the two countries in the modern game are Neymar (Brazil) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). Both Pelé and Maradona have declared Neymar and Messi their respective "successors".

England

With a rivalry stemming from the 1966 World Cup and intensified by the Falklands War of 1982, Argentina and England have had numerous confrontations in World Cup tournaments. Among them was the quarter-final match in 1986, where Diego Maradona scored two goals against England. The first was a handball, but was ruled legal by the referee. The second, scored minutes later, saw Maradona passing five England outfield players before scoring, and is often described as one of, if not the greatest goal in football history.

The nations were paired together in the round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup, won by Argentina on penalties, and again at the group stage in 2002, with England winning 1–0 through a penalty by David Beckham who had been sent off in the tie four years earlier.

Argentina and England played in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final in Atlanta. This marked the first time in twenty-one years the teams have met at all, the first in twenty-four years in a major tournament and the first in twenty-eight years that both teams met in the knockout rounds. England took the lead in the 55th minute with a goal from Anthony Gordon before Argentina came back to win the match with two late goals, as Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martínez scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner to eliminate England and secure Argentina's place in the final.

Germany

Argentina has played Germany in seven FIFA World Cup matches including three World Cup finals. In 1986 Argentina won 3–2, but in 1990 and 2014 it was the Germans who were the victors by a 1–0 scoreline both times.

In 1958 they met for the first time in the group stage, where Argentina suffered a 1–3 loss to defending champions West Germany. In 1966 both again faced each other in the group stage which ended in a scoreless draw. In 2006, they met in the quarter-finals; Argentina lost on penalties after a 1–1 draw, which was followed by a brawl on the pitch involving several players. They met again at the same stage in 2010, this time ending with a 4–0 victory for Germany. They played each other for the third consecutive World Cup in Brazil 2014's final, where Argentina was defeated in extra time by a score of 1–0.

Uruguay

Argentina has a long-standing rivalry with its neighbour, that came into existence from the early South American Championships, the 1928 Summer Olympics and the first World Cup final, held in 1930. Argentina and Uruguay hold the record for most international matches played between two countries. The two teams have faced each other 197 times since 1902. The first match between Argentina and Uruguay was also the first official international match to be played outside the United Kingdom.

Netherlands

Considered by sports media to be two historically great teams, the Argentines and Dutch have developed an intense rivalry. They have met ten times in total, including six times during the World Cup.

The two teams first met on 26 May 1974 in an international friendly, won by the Netherlands 4–1. Their most high-profile matchup occurred in the 1978 World Cup final which was won by Argentina. One of the most recent and intense meetings happened in the 2022 World Cup, a 2–2 draw where Argentina advanced on penalties, in what is known as the Battle of Lusail.

Honours

Global

FIFA World Cup

Champions (3): 1978, 1986, 2022

Runners-up (4): 1930, 1990, 2014, 2026

FIFA Confederations Cup

Champions (1): 1992

Runners-up (2): 1995, 2005

Olympic Games

Runners-up (1): 1928

Intercontinental

Artemio Franchi Trophy / Finalissima

Champions (2): 1993, 2022 (record)

Continental

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

Copa Newton (17): 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1937, 1942, 1945, 1957, 1973, 1975, 1976 (record)

Copa Lipton (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, 1971s

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

Superclásico de las Américas (2): 2017, 2019

Copa Times of India (1): 2011

San Juan Cup (1): 2019

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

Summary

Notes

s Shared titles.