Argentina

The Argentina national football team () represents Argentina in football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina’s home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti. La Selecci n (national team), also known as the Albicelestes (sky blue and whites), has appeared in five World Cup finals, including the first final in 1930, which they lost, 4’2, to Uruguay. Argentina won in their next final appearance in 1978, beating the Netherlands at extra time, 3’1. Argentina, led by Diego Maradona won again in 1986, a 3’2 victory over West Germany. They again made the World Cup finals in 1990, and lost, 1’0, to West Germany after conceding a penalty kick in the 85th minute. Argentina made their fifth appearance in a World Cup final in 2014, again losing to Germany, 1’0 during extra-time. Argentina’s World Cup winning managers are C sar Luis Menotti in 1978, and Carlos Bilardo in 1986. Argentina has been very successful in the Copa Am rica, winning it 14 times and also winning the ‘extra’ South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946. The team also won the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Kirin Cup, both in 1992, and the Argentine olympic team won the Olympics football tournaments in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Argentina and France are the only two national teams that have won the three most important men’s titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympic tournament. They have both also won their respective continental championship (Copa Am rica for Argentina, and UEFA European Championship for France). Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil, Uruguay, England and Germany due to historic occurrences with one another throughout football history. Argentina also won six of the 14 football competitions at the Pan American Games, winning in 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1995 and 2003. In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time.