Argentina

Matches

16th June - 2pm
Argentina 1-1 Iceland

21st June - 7pm
Argentina  0- 2 Croatia

26 June -7pm
Nigeria v Argentina

 

Flag: The Bandera Oficial de Ceremonia is a classic triband design with two light blue horizontal strips split by a white band.

It also features the ‘Sun of May’ crest, a slightly creepy face on the sun which not only commemorates independence from Spain in May 1810 but also looks a bit like a pouting Robbie Savage.

Population: 43.85 million

Nickname: La Albiceleste – sounds fancy but it’s not. It just means ‘The White and Sky Blue’.

Manager: Jorge Sampaoli. The 58-year- old’s playing career was cut short at youth level by serious injury but he’s since found his niche in management.  In 2015, he steered Chile to the Copa America title.

Captain: The five-time Ballon D’or winner Lionel Messi.  As opposed to the Carte D’or winner which is a mid-market ice cream with ideas above its station.

Star Man: See above. This, in all likelihood, is Lionel Messi’s last chance to claim the one thing from his CV that’s missing.  He came close last time – and won the Golden Ball as the player’s best tournament – but time is running out.

Rising star: Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa.  The talented 23-year- old is unlikley to get a start (not with Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Paolo Dybala ahead of him in the pecking order) but will be a useful option on the bench.