Argentina are aiming to make it back-to-back global conquests at the FIFA World Cup 26™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States in what will be their 19th campaign at the competition.
Lionel Scaloni’s charges will go into the tournament buoyed by their status as both world and continental champions – having successfully defended their crown at the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America – and by having finished as runaway winners of the South American qualifiers. Spearheaded by long-standing talisman Lionel Messi, the Argentinians will bid to become the first team to retain the FIFA World Cup™ title since their neighbours and arch-rivals Brazil triumphed in Sweden in 1958 and repeated the feat in Chile four years later.
Argentina’s coach: Lionel Scaloni
When Scaloni first took the helm in August 2018, it was as a caretaker following Jorge Sampaoli’s turbulent tenure, which concluded with a wild defeat by eventual titlists France in the last 16 at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™. Yet the former right-sided defender/midfielder, who had served as Sampaoli’s assistant, wasted no time in stamping his mark in various ways.
Scaloni started his overhaul by freshening up the personnel, including by making the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martinez fixtures in the squad. He subsequently refined the playing style, shifting to a front-foot approach based on bossing the ball. Last but by no means least was instilling a winning mentality, with a crucial stepping stone coming at the 2021 Copa America, where Argentina ended a major trophy drought stretching back almost three decades. Building on that momentum, he has since guided his country to Finalissima, World Cup glory in 2022 and to a second consecutive continental title.
Argentina’s World Cup 26 fixtures and group
The Albiceleste will find out their group-stage opponents and venues at the draw for the final competition, which will be held from midday local time (18:00 CET) at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC on 5 December.
Full World Cup 26 match schedule
How Argentina qualified for the World Cup 26
Scaloni’s side had a draw between Bolivia and Uruguay on Matchday 14 of the South American preliminaries to thank for sealing their spot at the global showpiece when they still had five games to play, before a ball had even been kicked in their blockbuster bout with Brazil at El Monumental. Having toasted qualification for their 19th World Cup in style by brushing aside their old foes 4-1, Argentina wound up their campaign by cruising to a first-place finish, with their closest challengers, Ecuador, a massive nine points back.
Argentina’s World Cup history
Argentina’s best World Cups
The Albiceleste have lifted the iconic World Cup Trophy three times and, on each occasion, the victory tasted extra special and was steeped in symbolism. Their maiden triumph came on home turf in 1978, when Mario Kempes sprinkled the stardust on top of what was a highly organised, well-oiled outfit under the stewardship of Cesar Luis Menotti. Eight years later in Mexico, with Carlos Bilardo in the dugout, Diego Maradona stole the show in unforgettable fashion, while in 2022, Lionel Messi followed in Maradona’s footsteps – not for the first time – to inspire his side to the title and end his epic quest for the greatest of all prizes.
Argentina’s last World Cup
Everything clicked into place for Argentina in Qatar. Even the shock reverse at the hands of Saudi Arabia in their opener seems to have worked in the South American giants’ favour. That upset paved the way for the likes of Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez – who had started the competition as bench players – to establish themselves as key contributors and eventually first-team regulars. It also galvanised Scaloni’s charges, who promptly got their campaign back on track, with first Mexico and then Poland feeling the force of the backlash.
The Argentinians really hit their stride in the knockout rounds, albeit their progress rarely came devoid of drama. After ousting Australia 2-1 in the last 16, they squeaked past the Netherlands on penalties following a ding-dong 2-2 draw. The 3-0 semi-final crushing of Croatia brought some respite, but the final was the nail-biter to end all nail-biters. The Albiceleste led reigning champions France 2-0 with ten minutes of normal time remaining and 3-2 in the dying stages of extra time, but eventually required another nerve-shredding penalty shoot-out to finally clinch the crown.
Argentina’s first World Cup
The South American powerhouses were headline performers at the World Cup right from the outset. They were one of the just 13 teams at the inaugural event in 1930 and enjoyed a stellar campaign, reaching the final, in which they locked horns with hosts Uruguay. After falling behind within the first quarter of an hour, Argentina turned the tables to take a 2-1 advantage, only to end up succumbing 4-2 to their neighbours. Eight-goal Guillermo Stabile was the Argentinians’ main man and topped the competition’s scoring charts.
Argentina’s World Cup top scorer
Despite having featured at five editions of the World Cup (2006 to 2022 inclusive), current poster boy Messi has yet to emulate Stabile by finishing as the tournament’s top scorer. However, that is one of the few honours to have eluded the diminutive veteran, who fulfilled a lifelong dream by captaining his country to the title in Doha. Indeed, among his many other achievements, Messi holds the distinction of being Argentina’s all-time leading marksman at the global showpiece, with 13 goals. He is followed in the standings by Gabriel Batistuta, who netted ten times at the World Cup.
Argentina’s record World Cup appearance maker
Not only does he head his country’s World Cup appearance table, but Messi has racked up more outings at the competition than any other player of any nationality, full stop. This statistic speaks volumes not just for the attacker’s own longevity but also for Argentina’s heavyweight World Cup credentials. Messi has featured in no fewer than 26 World Cup matches across five tournaments: Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Argentina’s memorable World Cup moments
Argentina have amassed an embarrassment of riches when it comes to World Cup highlights, so selecting only a few standout episodes is a very tall order. One undoubted milestone came in 1978, when a team brimming with gifted technicians wowed the packed home crowds with their personality and possession-based brand of football, which acted as a blueprint that continues to stand the Albiceleste in good stead to this day. A 3-1 extra-time triumph over the Netherlands in the final capped a tournament that left an enduring legacy.
There was something almost supernatural about the way that Maradona took the 1986 competition by the proverbial scruff of the neck and bent it to his will. In particular, the larger-than-life attacking midfielder’s braces against England in the quarter-finals and Belgium in the semis are the stuff of legend. Four years later, with Maradona once again front and centre, Bilardo’s boys fell just short of keeping hold of the title but once again did the country proud. Thousands of people greeted the team on their arrival back in Buenos Aires following the loss to Germany in the final.
Messi has experienced a similar combination of euphoria and heartache, albeit in a different order. Defeat by none other than Die Mannschaft in the trophy decider at the Maracana in 2014 was a deeply bitter pill to swallow for the skilful forward, who had lit up the tournament. Nevertheless, the Rosario-born schemer would exorcise those demons thanks to a fairy-tale finish in Qatar.
Argentina’s biggest World Cup wins
Argentina have twice posted six-goal winning margins on the biggest stage, putting Peru to the sword 6-0 in the second group stage on 21 June 1978 and dishing out the same treatment to Serbia and Montenegro in group action on 16 June 2006.
Both of those encounters carried extra significance beyond the eye-catching scoreline. The first, in 1978, propelled Menotti’s men through to the final in Buenos Aires at the expense of Brazil, with goal difference proving decisive. Kempes and Leopoldo Luque both sparkled that day, notching a double apiece. The second instance, against Serbia and Montenegro, notably saw Messi complete the scoring to open his World Cup account. However, that game is arguably best remembered for a 25-pass move finished off by Esteban Cambiasso, which is widely considered one of the greatest team goals ever.
