Source: Mundo Albiceleste (2021)<\/p><\/div>\n
FIFA ranking:\u00a0<\/strong>3<\/p>\nHow they qualified:\u00a0<\/strong>CONMEBOL qualifying runners-up<\/p>\n2018 World Cup performance:\u00a0<\/strong>Round of 16<\/p>\nPrevious World Cup appearances:\u00a0<\/strong>17<\/p>\nBest result:\u00a0<\/strong>Winners (1978, 1986)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Background<\/h1>\nSource: JUAN MABROMATA \/ AFP<\/p><\/div>\n
Argentina are amongst the favourites to win this year\u2019s World Cup after they finally managed to end their 28-year trophy drought by winning the 2021 Copa America. La Albiceleste <\/em>will be led by their talismanic captain and all-time top scorer and appearance holder, Lionel Messi, who at 35 will be playing his last World Cup \u2013 confirmed by the player himself. Argentina had a largely disappointing 2018 World Cup, where they only narrowly advanced from their group behind eventual finalists Croatia. They were then swiftly knocked out in the round of 16 by eventual winners France, in a cracking 4-3 encounter. Those past disappointments have seemingly been forgotten under new coach Lionel Scaloni, who managed to step up from his role as assistant coach and lead Argentina to their first Copa America title since 1993, after three consecutive tournaments where Argentina finished in the top three, but ultimately fell short. Argentina managed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup going unbeaten in CONMEBOL qualifying and only finishing six points off qualifying winners Brazil.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The Coach \u2013 Lionel Scaloni<\/strong><\/h1>\nSource: Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n
Lionel Scaloni did not have an impressive managerial CV before taking over as the coach of Argentina, in fact, Scaloni\u2019s two other roles have both been assistant positions, first at Sevilla during the 2016-17 season, then at Argentina between 2017 and 2018. Ironically, Scaloni replaced Jorge Sampaoli at the helm of the Argentina national team, the same man who handed Scaloni his first assistant role at Sevilla only years prior. Initially, Scaloni and Argentina legend Pablo Aimar were named caretaker coaches after the disastrous 2018 World Cup, however, the 2019 Copa America performances convinced the Argentina FA to hand Scaloni the job on a full-time basis. As it turned out, this was a masterstroke from the AFA, as Scaloni managed to lead Argentina to their first major trophy since 1993, by winning the 2021 Copa America on the home soil of their bitter rivals Brazil, and the 44-year-old will be hoping to follow that up with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.<\/p>\n
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