Argentina national football team

The classic light blue and white striped jersey was first worn in the 1908 Copa Newton v. Uruguay

The blue shirt worn v England at the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored "the goal of the century"

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The kit first worn by Argentina was a white shirt, at the official debut of the national side against Uruguay in 1902.[12] In August 1908, Argentina debuted the light blue vertical stripe on white jersey.[13] That kit would become the official kit. The away kits usually have been in dark blue shades, varying the colors of shorts and socks.

Argentina has sported other kits until the blue strip on white kit was made official. On 3 June 1919 in Rio de Janeiro playing the "Roberto Chery Cup" against Brazil, Argentina wore a light blue kit, similar to Uruguay.[14] The trophy was established by Brazilian Football Confederation for the benefit of Roberto Chery's relatives. Chery was Uruguay's substitute goalkeeper and died during the 1919 South American Championship after collapsing in a game against Chile.[15]

At the 1958 World Cup, Argentina wore the yellow jersey of Swedish club IFK Malmö in the match against West Germany, as the team arrived in Sweden without an away kit.

A last moment jersey changed at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico is memorable. Then manager Carlos Bilardo asked the team kit supplier Le Coq Sportif for a lighter blue shirt for the quarter-final in three days against England, that could not be provided. A member of coaching staff scour the shops of Mexico City for 38 shirt plain shirts. They were transformed with an improvised version of the AFA emblem embroidered on to the shirts,[16] and silvery American football numbers ironed to the backs.[17] Argentina beat England with Diego Maradona's "goal of the century".[18][19] The shirt style became an emblem of the occasion and a collector's item.[20]

At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Argentina debuted a black away kit, a first in their history.[21]

The Argentine Football Association ("AFA") logo has been always used as the team emblem. It debuted in the 1958 World Cup held in Sweden, when Argentina added the AFA logo to their jackets, but not to the shirts.[27]

Nevertheless, the AFA emblem was not used on jerseys until 16 November 1976, when Argentina played the Soviet Union at Estadio Monumental. The first emblem was a simplified version of the crest (without the laurel wreath,[28] that was added for the 1982 World Cup).[16]

In 2004, the two stars added above the crest symbolized the national team FIFA World championships of 1978 and 1986.[28]

The following players were selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia on 27 and 31 March 2020, respectively. A complementary list including Argentine Primera División players will be released at a further date.[32]

On 12 March 2020, the FIFA announced that the matches originally scheduled to take place during the international window of 23–31 March 2020 are postponed to later dates. Details of the postponed matches will be discussed and announced soon.[33]
Caps and goals correct as of: 18 November 2019, after the match against Uruguay.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Juan Musso	(1994-05-06) 6 May 1994	1	0	Udinese
	2DF	Nicolás Otamendi	(1988-02-12) 12 February 1988	70	4	Manchester City
	2DF	Nicolás Tagliafico	(1992-08-31) 31 August 1992	25	0	Ajax
	2DF	Germán Pezzella	(1991-06-27) 27 June 1991	16	2	Fiorentina
	2DF	Renzo Saravia	(1993-07-16) 16 July 1993	9	0	Internacional
	2DF	Leonardo Balerdi	(1999-01-26) 26 January 1999	2	0	Borussia Dortmund
	2DF	Nehuén Pérez	(2000-06-24) 24 June 2000	0	0	Famalicão
	3MF	Marcos Acuña	(1991-10-28) 28 October 1991	27	0	Sporting CP
	3MF	Leandro Paredes	(1994-06-29) 29 June 1994	24	3	Paris Saint-Germain
	3MF	Giovani Lo Celso	(1996-04-09) 9 April 1996	21	2	Tottenham Hotspur
	3MF	Roberto Pereyra	(1991-01-07) 7 January 1991	19	2	Watford
	3MF	Rodrigo De Paul	(1994-05-24) 24 May 1994	17	0	Udinese
	3MF	Guido Rodríguez	(1994-04-12) 12 April 1994	9	0	Betis
	3MF	Nicolás Domínguez	(1998-06-28) 28 June 1998	5	1	Bologna
	3MF	Exequiel Palacios	(1998-10-05) 5 October 1998	4	0	Bayer Leverkusen
	3MF	Lucas Ocampos	(1994-07-11) 11 July 1994	3	2	Sevilla
	3MF	Alexis Mac Allister	(1998-12-24) 24 December 1998	2	0	Brighton & Hove Albion
	4FW	Lionel Messi (Captain)	(1987-06-24) 24 June 1987	138	70	Barcelona
	4FW	Sergio Agüero	(1988-06-02) 2 June 1988	97	41	Manchester City
	4FW	Paulo Dybala	(1993-11-15) 15 November 1993	29	2	Juventus
	4FW	Lautaro Martínez	(1997-08-22) 22 August 1997	17	9	Internazionale
	4FW	Lucas Alario	(1992-10-08) 8 October 1992	7	3	Bayer Leverkusen
	4FW	Nicolás González	(1998-04-06) 6 April 1998	3	0	VfB Stuttgart

The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Agustín Marchesín	(1988-03-16) 16 March 1988	7	0	Porto	v.  Uruguay, 18 November 2019
GK	Esteban Andrada	(1991-01-26) 26 January 1991	4	0	Boca Juniors	v.  Uruguay, 18 November 2019
GK	Emiliano Martínez	(1992-09-02) 2 September 1992	0	0	Arsenal	v.  Brazil, 15 November 2019
GK	Franco Armani	(1986-10-16) 16 October 1986	11	0	River Plate	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
DF	Juan Foyth	(1998-01-12) 12 January 1998	10	0	Tottenham Hotspur	v.  Uruguay, 18 November 2019
DF	Walter Kannemann	(1991-03-14) 14 March 1991	6	0	Grêmio	v.  Uruguay, 18 November 2019
DF	Marcos Rojo	(1990-03-20) 20 March 1990	61	3	Estudiantes LP	v.  Brazil, 15 November 2019 INJ
DF	Gonzalo Montiel	(1997-01-01) 1 January 1997	4	0	River Plate	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
DF	Lucas Martínez Quarta	(1996-05-10) 10 May 1996	2	0	River Plate	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
DF	Nicolás Figal	(1994-04-03) 3 April 1994	0	0	Inter Miami	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
MF	Erik Lamela	(1992-03-04) 4 March 1992	25	3	Tottenham Hotspur	v.  Ecuador, 13 October 2019
MF	Matías Zaracho	(1998-03-10) 10 March 1998	1	0	Racing	v.  Germany, 9 October 2019 INJ
MF	Manuel Lanzini	(1993-02-15) 15 February 1993	5	1	West Ham United	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
FW	Ángel Correa	(1995-03-09) 9 March 1995	12	2	Atlético Madrid	v.  Ecuador, 13 October 2019
FW	Matías Vargas	(1997-05-08) 8 May 1997	1	0	Espanyol	v.  Ecuador, 13 October 2019
FW	Joaquín Correa	(1994-08-13) 13 August 1994	4	1	Lazio	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
FW	Adolfo Gaich	(1999-02-26) 26 February 1999	1	0	San Lorenzo	v.  Mexico, 10 September 2019
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad RET Retired from the national team SUS Suspended

As of 18 November 2019, the ten players with the most appearances for Argentina are:[34][35]

Javier Mascherano is the most capped player in the history of Argentina with 147 caps.

As of 18 November 2019, the ten players with the most goals for Argentina are:[36]

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup. He is the highest goalscorer in the history of Argentina with 70 goals.

• Most goals scored in all international competitions, including friendlies: 70 – Lionel Messi, 2005–[38]
• Most goals scored in official international competitions, including FIFA World Cup qualification and FIFA Confederations Cup: 38 – Gabriel Batistuta, 1991–2002
• Most goals scored in all major international tournaments, not including FIFA World Cup qualification and FIFA Confederations Cup: 23 – Gabriel Batistuta, 1991–2002
• Most goals scored in international friendlies: 34 – Lionel Messi, 2005–
• Most goals scored in one calendar year, including friendlies: 12 – Lionel Messi, 2012; Gabriel Batistuta, 1998
• Most goals scored in one FIFA World Cup qualification: 10 – Lionel Messi, 2014
• Most goals scored in all FIFA World Cup qualifications: 21 – Lionel Messi, 2005–
• Most goals scored in one FIFA World Cup tournament: 8 – Guillermo Stábile, 1930
• Most goals scored in all FIFA World Cup tournaments: 10 – Gabriel Batistuta, 1991–2001
• Most goals scored in one FIFA Confederations Cup: 4 – Luciano Figueroa, 2005
• Most goals scored in all FIFA Confederations Cup: 4 – Gabriel Batistuta, 1991–2002, Luciano Figueroa, 2004–2005
• Most goals scored in one Copa América: 6 – Gabriel Batistuta, 1991
• Most goals scored in all Copas América: 13 – Gabriel Batistuta, 1991–2002
• Most goals scored in one South American Championship: 9 – Humberto Maschio, 1957
• Most goals scored in all South American Championships: 17 – Norberto Méndez, 1945–1956
• Most goals scored in one Football Summer Olympics: 9 – Domingo Tarasconi, 1928
• Most goals scored in all Football Summer Olympics: 9 – Domingo Tarasconi, 1922–1929
• Most goals scored in all U-20 international competitions, including friendlies: 18 – Lionel Messi, 2005[39]
• Most goals scored in official U-20 international competitions: 11 – Lionel Messi, 2005; Javier Saviola, 2001
• Most goals scored in one FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament: 11 – Javier Saviola, 2001
• Most goals scored in all FIFA U-20 World Cup tournaments: 11 – Javier Saviola, 2001
• Most goals scored in one South American Youth Football Championship: 9 – Luciano Galletti, 1999; Giovanni Simeone, 2015[40]
• Most goals scored from the penalty kick: 13 – Lionel Messi, 2005–[38]
• Most direct free kick goals scored in all international competitions, including friendlies: 6 – Lionel Messi, against Paraguay, Uruguay, Nigeria, Panama, United States, Colombia
• Most hat-tricks scored in all international competitions, including friendlies: 6 – Lionel Messi, against Switzerland, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, Haiti
• Most assists provided in all international competitions, including friendlies: 38 – Lionel Messi, 2005–
• Most assists provided in Copa América matches: 11 – Lionel Messi, 2005–[41]
• Most Man of the Match awards won in one FIFA World Cup: 4 – Lionel Messi, 2014[42]
• Most Man of the Match awards won in FIFA World Cup matches: 5 – Lionel Messi, 2005–[42][43]
• Most Man of the Match awards won in one Copa América: 4 – Lionel Messi, 2015[44]
• Most Man of the Match awards won in Copa América matches: 9 – Lionel Messi, 2005–[44][45]
• Oldest player that have ever scored a goal: Martín Palermo, 36 years and 7 months old in 2010 against Greece
• Oldest player that have scored a goal at FIFA World Cup tournament: Martín Palermo, 36 years and 7 months old in 2010 against Greece
• Youngest player that have ever scored a goal: Diego Maradona, 18 years, 7 months and 4 days old in 1979 against Scotland[46]
• Youngest player that have ever scored a goal at FIFA World Cup tournament: Lionel Messi, 18 years and 357 days old in 2006 against Serbia and Montenegro
• Youngest player that have ever captained the team at FIFA World Cup tournament: Lionel Messi, 22 years and 363 days old in 2010 against Greece[47]
• Youngest player to ever reach 100 caps: Lionel Messi, 27 years and 362 days old in 2015 against Jamaica[47]
• Youngest player that have scored a goal at South American Championship/Copa America: Diego Maradona 18 years and 10 months old in 1979 against Brazil
• Only player that have scored against all 9 South American Nations: Lionel Messi, against Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela[48]
• Players that have scored the most goals in a match at any competition: 5 – Manuel Seoane, in 1925; Juan Marvezzi, in 1941
• Players that have scored in all 3 matches of the group stage in one FIFA World Cup: Oreste Corbatta, in 1958; Lionel Messi, in 2014[49]
• Players that have scored the most goals in a match at FIFA World Cup: 3 – Guillermo Stábile, in 1930; Gabriel Batistuta, in 1994 & 1998; Gonzalo Higuaín, in 2010
• Players that have scored the most goals in a match at South American Championship/Copa América: 5 – Manuel Seoane, in 1925; Juan Marvezzi, in 1941
• Players that have won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: Diego Maradona, in 1986; Lionel Messi, in 2014
• Players that have won the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: Guillermo Stábile, 8 goals in 1930; Mario Kempes, 6 goals in 1978
• Players that have won the Copa América era Golden Shoe: Leopoldo Luque, 4 goals in 1975; Jorge Burruchaga, 3 goals in 1983; Gabriel Batistuta, 6 goals in 1991, 4 goals in 1995
• Players that have won the South American Championship Golden Shoe: Julio Libonatti, 3 goals in 1921; Juan Francia, 4 goals in 1922; Vicente Aguirre, 3 goals in 1923; Manuel Seoane, 6 goals in 1925; Alfredo Carricaberry & Segundo Luna, 7 goals in 1927; Herminio Masantonio, 4 goals in 1935; Juan Marvezzi, 5 goals in 1941; Herminio Masantonio & José Manuel Moreno, 7 goals in 1942; Norberto Méndez, 6 goals in 1945; Rodolfo Micheli, 8 goals in 1955; Humberto Maschio, 9 goals in 1957; José Sanfilippo, 5 goals in 1959; Luis Artime, 5 goals in 1967
• Players that have won the Football Summer Olympics Golden Shoe: Domingo Tarasconi, 9 goals in 1928; Hernán Crespo, 6 goals in 1996; Carlos Tevez, 8 goals in 2004

The first Argentina national team manager was Ángel Vázquez, appointed in 1924. Guillermo Stábile is the manager with the most matches coaching the team (127).[50] Here is the complete list of managers:[51][52][53][54]

Period Name 1924–1925 Ángel Vázquez 1927–1928 José Lago Millán 1928–1929 Francisco Olazar 1929–1930 Francisco Olazar and Juan J. Tramutola 1934 Felipe Pascucci 1934–1937 Manuel Seoane 1937–1939 Ángel Fernández Roca 1939–1958 Guillermo Stábile

Period Name 1959 Victorio Spinetto 1960–1961 Guillermo Stábile 1962–1963 Juan Carlos Lorenzo 1963 Alejandro Galán 1963–1964 Horacio Torres 1964–1968 José María Minella 1968 Renato Cesarini 1968–1969 Humberto Maschio 1969 Adolfo Pedernera

Period Name 1969–1972 Juan José Pizzuti 1972–1974 Omar Sívori 1974 Vladislao Cap 1974–1983 César Luis Menotti 1983–1990 Carlos Bilardo 1990–1994 Alfio Basile 1994–1998 Daniel Passarella 1998–2004 Marcelo Bielsa 2004–2006 José Pékerman

Period Name 2006–2008 Alfio Basile 2008–2010 Diego Maradona 2010–2011 Sergio Batista 2011–2014 Alejandro Sabella 2014–2016 Gerardo Martino 2016–2017 Edgardo Bauza 2017–2018 Jorge Sampaoli 2018– Lionel Scaloni

Argentina have a long and fierce rivalry with their South American neighbours.[55]

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 the greatest goals in football history.

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

Action from the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and Germany

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

In 1958 they met for the first time in the group stage, where Argentina suffered a 1–3 loss to defending champions West Germany.[56] In 1966 both again faced each other in the group stage which ended in a scoreless draw.[57] 2006 they met in the quarter-finals; Argentina lost on penalties after a 1–1 draw. 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 the Brazil 2014 event's final, where Argentina were defeated in extra time by a score of 1–0.

Argentina have a long-standing rivalry with their neighbors, 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.[3] The two teams have faced each other 198 times since 1901. The first match between Argentina and Uruguay was also the first official international match to be played outside the United Kingdom.[note 7]

A minor rivalry developed from the 1990s between Argentina and Nigeria, based not on geographical proximity, long-term battles for honours or factors outside football, but due to the frequency of significant matches between them.[58][59][60][61][62][63] This has included five World Cup group games, all won by Argentina by a single goal margin: 2–1 in 1994, 1–0 in 2002, 1–0 in 2010, 3–2 in 2014 and 2–1 in 2018. The fixture is the most common in the competition's history involving an African nation,[64] and has occurred in five of the six tournaments for which Nigeria has qualified. The sides also met in the 1995 King Fahd Cup (the predecessor to the Confederations Cup) as champions of their respective continents, drawing 0–0.

Below full international level, their Olympic teams also faced off in the gold medal match in 1996 (3–2 to Nigeria), and 2008 (1–0 to Argentina). The final of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship was also played between them; both Argentina goals in their 2–1 win were scored by Lionel Messi, who would go on to find the net for the senior team in the 2014[65] and 2018[66] World Cup fixtures. On 6 September 2011, Bangabandhu National Stadium hosted an international friendly football match between the full-strength Argentina and Nigeria teams, featuring Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, Javier Mascherano and John Obi Mikel among the other star players of both nations. Argentina won 3–1 with goals from then-Real Madrid teammates Gonzalo Higuaín and Ángel Di María, and an own goal from Nigeria's Elderson Echiéjilé with Chinedu Obasi scoring Nigeria's lone goal.

The sense of rivalry is more keenly felt on the Nigerian side, as Argentina have won almost all of their encounters and have more important traditional opponents to concentrate on, in contrast to the West Africans who remain keen to finally overcome a more illustrious foe.[59]

FIFA World Cup

• Champions (2): 1978, 1986
• Runners-up (3): 1930, 1990, 2014

South American Championship / Copa América

• Champions (14): 1921, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1937, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959 (Argentina), 1991, 1993
• Runners-up (14): 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1959 (Ecuador), 1967, 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016
• Third place (5): 1919, 1956, 1963, 1989, 2019
• Fourth place (2): 1922, 1987

FIFA Confederations Cup

• Champions (1): 1992
• Runners-up (2): 1995, 2005

Intercontinental Cup of Nations

• Champions (1): 1993

Panamerican Championship

• Champions (1): 1960
• Runners-up (1): 1956