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Argentina national football team logogif
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ARG
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''Albicelestes'' (White and Sky blue)<br>''Los Gauchos'' (The Gauchos )
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'' Asociación Del Fútbol Argentino ''<br>(Argentine Football Association)
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CONMEBOL ( South America )
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Alfio Basile
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Javier Zanetti
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Roberto Ayala (115)
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Gabriel Batistuta (56)
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El Monumental
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2
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1
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March 2007
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24
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August 1996
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3
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1
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Many times between 1926-1966,<br/>1986-7, 1992-3, 2002, 2004-5, 2007
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28
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June 1990
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2 - 3 <br>( Montevideo , Uruguay 16 May 1901 )
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12 - 0 <br>( Montevideo , Uruguay 22 January 1942 )
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6 - 1 <br>( Helsingborg , Sweden 15 June 1958 )<br> 5 - 0 <br>( Guayaquil , Ecuador 16 December 1959 )<br> 0 - 5 <br />( Buenos Aires , Argentina 5 September 1993 )
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14
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1930
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Winners, 1978 and 1986
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Copa América
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37
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1916
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Winners, 1921 , 1925 , 1927 , 1929 ,<br> 1937 , 1941 , 1945 , 1946 , 1947 ,<br> 1955 , 1957 , 1959 , 1991 , 1993
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3
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1992
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Winners, 1992
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The is the national Football team of Argentina and is controlled by the Asociación Del Fútbol Argentino (AFA).
Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams in the world, having won 2 World Cups in 1978 and 1986 . Argentina has also won the Copa América a record 14 times. Moreover, Argentina has also won the Confederations Cup and Olympic Football Tournament .
''La Selección'', also known as the ''Albicelestes'' (Light blue and whites), has appeared in four World Cup finals, including the first final in 1930 , which they lost 4-2 to Uruguay . Argentina won in their next final in 1978 , beating the Netherlands 3-1. Argentina, led by Diego Maradona won again in 1986 , a 3-2 victory over West Germany . Their most recent World Cup final was in 1990 , which they lost 1-0 to Germany by a much disputed penalty.
Argentina has been very successful in the Copa América , winning it fourteen times and also winning the 'extra' South American Championships in 1941, 1945 and 1946.
Argentina also won six of the fourteen Football Competitions At The Pan American Games , winning in 1951 , 1955 , 1959 , 1971 , 1995 and 2003 .
Argentina also won the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Kirin Cup , both in 1992. Argentina also won the Olympics football gold medal in Athens 2004 .
In March 2007, Argentina reached the top of the FIFA World Rankings for the first time.
Argentina had been eliminated at the group stage at Korea/Japan 2002 FIFA World Cup , although they had been among the pre-tournament favourites. There was a high expectation of a better performance in the Germany 2006 .
Argentina won their opening game of the tournament beating Ivory Coast 2-1. On the second game, Argentina performed beyond expectation when they record the biggest victory of the tournament by defeating Serbia And Montenegro 6-0. Argentina qualified from the group stage as Group C winners, after 0-0 draw against Netherlands who subsequently qualified as Group C runners-up.
On 's goal against Serbia And Montenegro won the same title in a British televisionpoll BBC goal of the tournament )
On June 30 , Argentina faced the hosts Germany . Roberto Ayala scored shortly after half-time to give the Argentines a 1-0 lead. Later, while jumping for a header, Germany's Miroslav Klose collided with goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri , injuring the latter in the chest and he had to be carried off of the field. Substitute keeper Leo Franco conceded Klose's equalizing header with 10 minutes to spare. Near the end of regular time, Juan Román Riquelme and Hernán Crespo were substituted off, and Pekerman was later criticized for taking two of his best players off. During the penalty shootout, Roberto Ayala and Esteban Cambiasso had their spot kicks saved by German keeper Jens Lehmann , while the Germans scored all of their penalty shots to win the shootout 4-2.
A brawl erupted between the Argentines and Germans after the game ended. Unused substitute Leandro Cufré was sent off for kicking Per Mertesacker , while Maxi Rodríguez hit Bastian Schweinsteiger from behind. Following an investigation of video evidence, FIFA doled out 4-game and 2-game suspensions for Cufre and Rodriguez, respectively. Germany's Torsten Frings was suspended for the semifinal match for punching Julio Ricardo Cruz .
Shortly after the elimination, coach José Pekerman resigned from his position. AFA appointed Alfio Basile , who had previously managed the national side during the 1994 FIFA World Cup .
Argentina, anxious to win the country's first title since 1993 , took their strongest squad to Copa América 2007 . The coach who won the Copa América both in 1991 and 1993, Alfio Basile , was back, and the team was full of confidence. Argentina was the only team to win all three games in the Group stages - easily beating United States , Colombia and finally, their main group rivals, Paraguay .
Argentina were praised for playing a beautiful attacking game with Juan Roman Riquelme at his very best after a break from the national team. Hernan Crespo was on fire in the opening games and both Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez showed constant brilliance. Riquelme dominated the midfield, where Juan Sebastian Veron was back with solid performances,javier mashcherano was exceptionally good, and the defence was bursting with energy with Javier Zanetti especially effective as right-back. Crespo though was injured in his second game, after scoring a penalty. In the quarter finals Argentina easily defeated Peru 4-0 with two goals from the in-form Riquelme. Messi and Javier Mascherano also scored.
Meanwhile, Brazil had struggled in their first games and seemed to have little spark under their new coach, Dunga . Mexico , playing very well under Hugo Sanchez , seemed set to become Argentina's greatest rivals to win the competition. Argentina though beat Mexico 3-0 in their semi final match with goals from Gabriel Heinze , a sublime effort from Messi and a penalty from Riquelme who took his tally to five goals - just one short of Robinho ´s six.
In the final, played in Maracaibo on 15 July , Argentina were strong favourites to beat Brazil and win the Copa América. But Brazil was not to be underestimated and had been gaining in strength as the tournament progressed. In the 4th minute Julio Baptista hammered home a fine goal. Although Argentina nearly equalized just a few minutes later through a Riquelme strike which hit the post, Brazil's relentless defending soon started to undermine Argentina's confidence. In the 40th minute Argentina's captain Roberto Ayala scored an Own-goal when trying to clear a Daniel Alves pass. In the second half Argentina seemed subdued. Daniel Alves scord a third goal for Brazil in the 69th minute.
Despite being able to take some consolation in the fact that they had won the most matches in Copa América 2007, and that they had also played some of the best football in the competition up to the final, the Argentines thus lost the final game to Brazil.
- Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on Penalty Kicks .''
- ---Gold background color indicates that the tournament was won. Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.''
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