Football: 2010 World Cup Team Profile - Argentina

ARGENTINA

FIFA Ranking: 8



Group: B, with Greece, Nigeria, and South Korea.

Qualification Route: Argentina finished fourth in the South American qualifying group, the final position that guaranteed a position at South Africa 2010. Argentina finished behind the much less talented Chile and Paraguay. Argentina drew at home with Ecuador and Paraguay, and lost five games away from home, including a humiliating 6-1 loss to Bolivia.

Coach: Diego Maradona. Is he a coach or a mascot? Maradona's job was saved when Argentina beat Uruguay 1-0 to secure qualification, and he responded with a maniacal tirade against the media worthy of a teenager. Otherwise, Argentina, for all their talent, look tactically inept with Maradona as coach.

Recent World Cup History: At the 2006 World Cup, Argentina played attractive football before losing a fiery and entertaining game on penalties to hosts Germany in the Quarter Finals. In 2002, Argentina did not make it out of the Group stage. Further back in the history of the World Cup, Argentina were host champions in 1978, inspired by Mario Kempes, and won the World Cup for the second time in 1986, in a tournament dominated by Maradona. They made the Final again in 1990 despite having a negative, defensive team; they were defeated by Germany in the Final.

Key Players: Javier Mascherano (right) and Maxi Rodriguez, both of Liverpool, will be in charge of Argentina's midfield engine room. They will need to provide both the defensive cover and creativity to supply the team's talented forwards.

Goal Scorers: Argentina have no shortage of talent up front, with Barcelona's Lionel Messi, at just 22, the world's most talented player and their main weapon. Other options to bolster the Argentina attack include Carlos Tevez of Manchester City, Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid, and Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid.

Prospects: For all their talent, it is not difficult to see Argentina struggling in South Africa. Their group is tricky, with Nigeria on their home continent and South Korea ready to out-work any team. Maradona has displayed little to suggest that he has a clue coaching at this level, and with their woeful away form, another shock first round exit may await.

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