The Argentina national football team, nicknamed la Albiceleste,  represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body of football in Argentina. It has been a member of FIFA since 1912 and was a founding member of CONMEBOL in 1916. It was also a member of PFC, the unified confederation of the Americas, from 1946 to 1961. Argentina has won three FIFA World Cups, in 1978, 1986 and 2022. The team has appeared in seven World Cup finals, including the inaugural one in 1930.
Argentina has won the Copa América a record 16 times, most recently in 2024. With victories in 1945, 1946 and 1947, it is the only nation to have won the tournament three consecutive times. Argentina won the Panamerican Championship in 1960, the inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992, and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 1993 and 2022. Argentina holds the record for most official international titles, with 23. Argentina players have won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball three times: Diego Maradona in 1986, and Lionel Messi in 2014 and 2022. Messi has the most appearances for the team (207) and has scored the most goals (125). As of 20 July 2026, Argentina ranks second in the FIFA Men's World Ranking. Argentina is known for having rivalries with Brazil, England, Germany, Netherlands, and Uruguay.
History
The first ever match Argentina played was against Uruguay on June 20, 1902, in Montevideo. It was the first international match for both sides, and Argentina won 6–0.Argentina-Uruguay: el clásico con más partidos del mundo by Oscar Barnade on Clarín, 18 November 2019 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.Los comienzos (1901–1930), AFA website (Archived, 4 February 2015)
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.¿Sorpresa? La Selección Argentina no jugará en el Monumental ante Venezuela por las Eliminatorias on TNT Sports, 4 March 2022La Selección Argentina volverá a jugar en River on AFA, 16 September 2021 The team frequently uses other venues as well, including Estadio Único Madre de CiudadesLa Selección Argentina y Messi volverán a jugar en Santiago del Estero por las Eliminatorias 8 December 2021 on Diario El ComercialEn marzo la Selección Argentina será local en Santiago del Estero por Eliminatorias on TyC Sports, 28 October 2020 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 organized 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.Uruguay 0 v. Argentina 6 (1902) by T. Casale, 20 July 2015
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.Río de la Plata Trip of South African Football Association 1906 by Pablo Ciullini on the RSSSF 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".El día que Diego Maradona hizo "el gol del siglo" y se convirtió en villano por la "mano de Dios" on BBC, 22 June 2016Se cumplen 33 años del 'gol del siglo' , Marca (Spain), 22 June 2019 Afterwards, the shirt became a symbol of the occasion and an important collector's item.La historia de la camiseta azul by Andrés Burgo on El Gráfico, 24 April 2018
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.La camiseta homenaje de Los Pumas al histórico Argentina vs. Inglaterra del Mundial 1986 on espn.com.ar. 18 Jul 2026Los Pumas usaron una camiseta inspirada en México ’86 en la derrota ante Inglaterra on tycsports.com. 18 Jul 2026
Kit suppliers
Kit supplier Period Ref. St. Margaret 1901–1924 Todas las marcas que vistieron a la Selección Argentina by Lautaro Toschi, 27 April 2023 Gath & Chaves 1925–1934 La evolución de la camiseta de la Selección Argentina a lo largo de su historia by Daniel Szwarc on 90min.com, 9 October 2015 Industria Lanús 1958–1963 Noceto Sports 1964–1965 Sportlandia 1966 Industria Lanús 1967–1973 Adidas 1974–1979 Todas las camisetas Adidas de la Selección Argentina a lo largo de la historia on Pasion Fútbol Le Coq Sportif 1980–1989 La camiseta de las selección argentina según pasan los años , La Gaceta, 9 November 2005 Adidas 1990–1998 Adidas recupera a la selección Argentina , Emol Deportes, 6 November 2001 Reebok 1999–2001 El peso de la camiseta , La Nación, 21 August 1998 Adidas 2001–present
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,El escudo de la camiseta de la Selección argentina cumple 41 años by Daniela Aguinsky, Clarín, 16 November 2017 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.
2025
2026
Coaching staff
PositionNameHead coach Lionel ScaloniAssistant coach Pablo Aimar Roberto Ayala Walter SamuelGoalkeeping coach Martín TocalliFitness coach Luis MartínVideo analyst Matías MannaTeam coordinator Nicolás RussoAcademy manager Bernardo RomeoBase camp coordinator Oscar DertyciaGoalkeeping coordinator Mauro Dobler
Players
Current squad The following players were called up to the friendly matches against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin on 30 September, 3 and 6 October 2026 respectively. Caps and goals are correct as of 3 October 2026, after the friendly against Burkina Faso.
Recent call-ups The following players have also been called up for the team in the last twelve months.
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.
Individual records and achievements
Players in bold are still active with Argentina.
Most appearances
Top goalscorers
World Cup-winning captains YearCaptainsVice-Captains1978Daniel PassarellaLeopoldo Luque1986Diego MaradonaOscar Ruggeri2022Lionel MessiAngel Di Maria
Competitive record
Head-to-head 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".