All 32 teams participating in the World Cup in Qatar are introduced.
This time, we introduce Group C Argentina, the team that won the Copa America title last year for the first time in 28 years and qualified for the World Cup in Qatar as the undefeated second-place team in the South American qualifying round.
Basic Information
Number of appearances | 18th(13nd consecutive) |
Highest Achievement | Champion (twice) |
FIFA Ranking | 3th |
Capital city | Buenos Aires |
Population | 45.38 million people |
Manager | Lionel Sebastián Scaloni |
Nickname | La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue) |
<Results of last 6 games>
3/30 | World Cup qualifier | Ecuador | △ | 1-1 | A |
6/2 | FINALISSIMA | Italy | 〇 | 3-0 | N |
6/6 | Friendly match | Estonia | 〇 | 5-0 | N |
9/24 | Friendly match | Honduras | 〇 | 3-0 | H |
9/28 | Friendly match | Jamaica | 〇 | 3-0 | H |
11/16 | Friendly match | UAE | ー | A |
・The team’s first international title in 28 years, the Copa America final was against their archrival Brazil, and the stage was the sacred city of Maracanã, which made it all the more joyous. The team will be able to enter Qatar in a relaxed state, freed from the pressure of many years.
・Scaloni, who took over the reins of the team after the last World Cup in Russia, has not yielded to harsh criticism at the beginning of his tenure, and has promoted a generational change through a process of trial and error. He has established a style of play and has succeeded in breaking away from his “Messi addiction.
・The team, which has been completely reborn in the last four years, won a comfortable 3-0 victory over Italy in the “Finalissima” in June this year, where the Copa America champion and the EURO champion collided. They won the match against UAE just before the Qatar World Cup, extending their undefeated record to 36 games. Since the 1986 Mexico Games, the public’s expectations are rising for the first world domination in 36 years.
Date of a match | Local game start time | Opponent | Total match record | |
Section 1 | November 22 | 13:00 | Saudi Arabia (53th) | 2 wins, 2 draw, 0 losses |
Section 2 | November 26 | 22:00 | Mexico (12th) | 16 wins, 14 draw, 5 losses |
Section 3 | November 30 | 22:00 | Poland (26th) | 6 wins, 2 draw, 3 losses |
Manager
(Name) | Lionel Sebastián Scaloni |
(Date of birth) | May 16, 1978(44) |
(nationality) | Argentina |
(inauguration) | Aug. 2018 |
・The team has instilled a clear identity in the team while changing generations, and won its first major title in 28 years at last year’s Copa America. The team won the hearts of the nation, especially the younger generation.
・For a while after taking over at the end of the last tournament in Russia, he received harsh evaluations on everything from personnel selection and tactics to formations, but “I realized that it was better to adapt to the type of players instead of sticking to my own ideas.” He confided in the team, and the team was transformed into a team with a high level of perfection.
・With a staff of national alumni, including Aimar, Ayala, and Samuel, the team is on its way to its long-cherished goal of world domination.
Basic Formations & Tactics
Dominated the game in possession, and succeeded in building a high level of cooperation in both offense and defense.
<Basic Formation>

<At Attack>

・The team’s style of play became clearer and clearer with each game, as the team focused on possession to maximize the skills of the players and on creating chances by connecting fine passes. The team’s regular lineup was almost completely consolidated after last year’s Copa America, and the team was completed to a high degree of perfection.
・The base formation is the [4-3-3]. Sometimes, as in last year’s Copa America final against Brazil, he uses a 4-4-2 formation, but Scaloni is not so particular about the basic formation, and decides on a positioning pattern for each situation or game development.
・In the transition from defense to offense, the back four and back three are used in tandem, with Paredes in front of the CBs forming a diamond shape, and veterans such as Messi and Di Maria and new-generation midfielders such as Lo Celso and De Paul carrying the ball with synchronized passing work.
・L. Martinez ambushed him up front, but Messi moved freely between the lines, sometimes dropping back to his own line to join the build-up as everyone, including the attacking SBs, moved into the open spaces and launched an all-out attack up front with the goal boldly in their sights.
<At Defense>

・Immediately after an opponent intercepts the ball, all players around the ball press high. If the ball is brought into their own territory, they form a defensive block with everyone except L. Martinez and Messi on the front line. While driving them back with a zone defense, the team also prevents them from penetrating into the center of the field with a man-to-man approach.
・The key is the wall built by CBs Romero and Otamendi and the committed recovery of midfielder De Paul.
Star players(Top 8)
Lionel Messi (FW/paris saint-germain)
・”Dios(God)”
・A “living legend” whose name is etched in the history of soccer. His dribbling is agile and agile, and once he gets up to speed, it is impossible to stop him. Not only is his ability to score goals unattainable for ordinary players, but he is also an excellent assistant, and in his first year in the Ligue 1, he recorded 14 assists, the second most in the league.
・Last season, he left his beloved club of many years due to the club’s financial situation and moved to PSG with Neymar and Di Maria for the first time in his life. He struggled to adapt, failing to reach double digits in goals for the first time since his second year as a professional. However, he has been in good form this season, scoring many goals since the start of the season.
・With his teammates, whom he calls “the best of the best,” he will be taking on his fifth World Cup, the most for an Argentine player.
Ángel Di María (FW/Juventus)
・A great supporting actor who continues to support Messi with his “Magic Left Leg”.
・A skillful midfielder who shows off his outstanding technique. Toss the opponent with artistic ball keeping power and fine touch dribbling. He is free to break through from the flanks on his own or break them down in coordination.
・The high decisive power of free kicks and middle shots delivered from the left foot is still alive and well.
Lautaro Martínez(FW/Internazionale Milano)
・”Scorer”
・A striker who mass-produces goals from various shooting patterns. While playing as a reference point in the area, the off-the-ball movement that creates space is also excellent. The combination with Messi in the national team is also outstanding, and has established an immovable position as a CF. He has the speed to get behind, the skill to handle post-plays, and the ability to score goals. The strong defensive awareness that aims to capture the ball if there is a chance is also attractive.
・You can go down to midfield and receive the ball while carrying the opponent on your back, and you can be the starting point of the attack, so you won’t be crushed easily. In addition to being a starting point, he also has the technical skill of facing forward on the turn and dribbling at the moment he receives the ball, and he can also switch on his own attack.
Rodrigo De Paul(MF/Atletico Madrid)
・”The Symbol of The New Argentina”
・A versatile midfielder who dominates the midfield of the Argentina national team. He possesses a high level of ability required of a midfield player, such as high technique, momentum, and defensive response. He also has a passionate fighting spirit, and brings dynamism to the team with his aggressive play that is not afraid of taking risks.
・He has a high level of understanding of tactics, and if he provides high-quality passes that serve as starting points for offense to attackers on the front line, he will fill the space with accurate positioning in defense. The strength of the interpersonal match that boldly presses and steals the ball from there is also attractive.
Leandro Daniel Paredes(MF/Juventus)
・”Register”
・A link between offense and defense that improves the quality of the midfield by scattering long and short passes with a high success rate in the dense area of the final line and midfield. A must-see for his long passes and middle shots that enter the realm of art. He plays a defensive midfielder for the national team, but can also play a more attacking role up front.
・He is entrusted with an important role in teams such as Argentina National Team, PSG, and Juventus, which have attackers with high attack performance on the front line. He is from Argentina’s prestigious Boca Juniors.
Cristian Romero(DF/Tottenham)
・”The Strongest for People”
・He is just as strong in one-on-one matchups as he is in one-on-one battles. During his time at Atalanta in Serie A, he quickly adapted to the Premier League by using his physicality to blow away big players such as Mandžukić and Lukaku.
・He is just as strong in one-on-one matchups as he is in one-on-one battles. During his time at Atalanta in Serie A, he quickly adapted to the Premier League by using his physicality to blow away big players such as Mandzukic and Lukaku.
・There is room for improvement in the style of play, which is a little too rough.
Nahuel Molina(DF/Atletico Madrid)
・”Aggressive SB”
・It is characterized by offensive power that recorded 8 goals and 5 assists in Serie A last season. He has a lot of momentum and speed and is often involved in finishing from the right side. Not only does he run up the right side and supply crosses, but he also sends a pass to the running forward and surely connects to the shot.
・His defensive skills and tactical eye honed in Italy are also attractive, and his off-the-ball movement that draws out passes is first-class.
Emiliano Martínez(GK/Aston Villa)
・“The Steadfast Guardian.”
・A big saver at 195 cm with strong physicality and long arms and legs. He made his debut for the full national team last June and was a driving force behind the Copa America victory.
・He possesses the skills required of a goalkeeper in modern soccer at a high level, such as saving with his excellent reflexes, strength in aerial battles, good jumping out of the box, and feeds. He is also highly skilled with his feet and can contribute greatly in the build-up phase.
・The national team is undefeated in the 18 games it has played.
Players List
<GK>
Name | Age | Club team | Representative Results (Goals) | |
Emiliano Martínez | 30 | Aston Villa | 17 caps | ・His fearless character has made him the second most popular member of the national team after Messi. |
Franco Armani | 36 | River Plate | 18 caps | ・He was the regular goalkeeper at the World Cup in Russia, but is now a reserve. |
Gerónimo Rulli | 30 | Villarreal | 3 caps | ・Full participation and consistent performance in the final South American qualifying round was highly appreciated. |
Juan Musso | 28 | Atalanta | 2 caps | ・Daily Yoga for Mental Training |
<DF>
Nicolás Otamendi | 34 | Benfica | 91 caps(4) | ・A DF leader who shows no signs of slowing down with sharp reading and aggressive defense |
Marcos Acuña | 31 | Sevilla | 42 caps | ・ Left SB with excellent stability in both offense and defense ・While sneaking through space and supplying accurate crosses, he also shows no mercy in interpersonal defense. |
Nicolás Tagliafico | 30 | Olympique Lyonnais | 40 caps | ・Using his abundant momentum as a weapon, he shows a calm defensive response from beginning to end, bringing depth to his offense as well. ・Married after winning Copa America |
Nahuel Molina | 24 | Atletico Madrid | 17 caps | ・Failed to renew his contract with Boca and moved to Udinese on a free transfer. |
Gonzalo Montiel | 25 | Sevilla | 16 caps | ・Although his main position is right back, his versatility to also play as a CB makes him indispensable to the national team. |
Cristian Romero | 24 | Tottenham | 11 caps(1) | ・He has a rough temperament during matches, and became a hot topic when he pulled Cucurella’s hair against Chelsea. |
Lisandro Martinez | 24 | Manchester United | 7 caps | ・A tough guy characterized by aggressive defense full of fighting spirit ・A multiplayer who has high precision with his left foot and can also play as a left SB or defensive midfielder. When he was at Ajax, he was known as the ‘Amsterdam Killer’. |
Germán Pezzella | 31 | Real Betis | 30 caps(2) | ・ Skilled CB, technique in interpersonal battle is “craftsman’s area” ・Late bloomer, making national team debut at age 26 |
Juan Foyth | 28 | Villarreal | 15 caps | ・Last season at Villarreal, he excelled as a right-back. ・Characteristics include tenacious defense and sensible covering |
<MF>
Leandro Paredes | 28 | Juventus | 44 caps(4) | ・Married at the age of 8 to a man she fell in love with at first sight and father of two children |
Enzo Jeremías Fernández | 21 | Benfica | 2 caps | ・Argentina’s rising star who boasts a high degree of contribution in offense and defense ・Aggressive style of play is a selling point, and he actively appears on the front line |
Rodrigo De Paul | 28 | Atletico Madrid | 42 caps(2) | ・Riquelme is his idol. ・Dating a popular pop singer |
Giovani Lo Celso | 26 | Villarreal | 39 caps(2) | ・Child due in December during the World Cup. |
Guido Rodríguez | 28 | Real Betis | 24 caps(1) | ・ Paredes and Childhood Friend ・The team’s ability to win the ball is the best, and when Paredes is absent, he will take the helm of the midfield instead. |
Exequiel Palacios | 24 | Leverkusen | 20 caps | ・He is a reserve, but his technical level is so high that even the coach takes a glance at him. |
Papu Gómez | 34 | Sevilla | 14 caps(3) | ・Mood makers ・Although it is a dynamo, it also has decisive power ・Aiming for the first and last World Cup appearance |
Alexis Mac Allister | 23 | Brighton | 5 caps | ・Born in a soccer family ・Competed in the Olympics last year |
Thiago Almada | 21 | Atlanta United | 1 caps | ・Argentina’s super promising player with excellent technique and high physical ability ・Voted MLS Rookie of the Year ・He made his international debut against Honduras in September and was praised by Messi for his spirited play. |
<FW>
Lionel Messi | 35 | paris saint-germain | 162 caps(86) | ・To finish off a glorious career with a long-cherished world championship. |
Ángel Di María | 34 | Juventus | 122 caps(25) | ・Retired from the national team after this tournament |
Lautaro Martínez | 25 | Internazionale Milano | 38 caps(20) | ・At the World Cup in Russia, where he was unsuccessful, he unabashedly complained about the coach at the time. |
Paulo Dybala | 29 | AS Roma | 34 caps(3) | ・The creator is blocked by Messi’s wall ・I want to show the national team that I can live up to the nickname “Jewel” that I was given during my time in the second division. ・His opponent, Poland, is his great-grandfather’s homeland. |
Nicolás González | 24 | Fiorentina | 21 caps(3) | ・He is second only to Di Maria in offensive performance. |
Ángel Correa | 27 | Atletico Madrid | 21caps(3) | ・He is mobile and can play on the side with ease in the second top position, and is very competitive. |
Joaquín Correa | 28 | Internazionale Milano | 17caps(3) | ・ A super sub that approaches the goal with speed and sharp dribbling ・Truly handsome |
Julián Álvarez | 22 | Manchester City | 9 caps(1) | ・Bringing in the finish with a natural scoring instinct, a talent close to the break ・A talented player who was carefully nurtured by River, he will play for Manchester City from this season |
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