Copa America 2015 Team Guide: Argentina
As our guide to each of the Copa America teams moves into Group B, it is the turn of one of the perennial favourites to be looked at, with Argentina under the spotlight this time around.
Stacked with world-class players and with the memory of a World Cup final appearance still less than a year old, Argentina will be hoping to go one better in this tournament and pick up their first major international title since the 1993 Copa.
Check out our full team guides here:
Squad
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There arenโt too many surprises in the Argentina squad, perhaps excepting Federico Fernandez and Maxi Rodriguez, both of whom were at the World Cup and in the preliminaryย Copa America squad. There is also no place for one of the countryโs more youthful and highly rated goalkeepers, Geronimo Rulli.
ESPN FC detailsย the final 23 players selected.
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero, Nahuel Guzman and Mariano Andujar.
Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta, Facundo Roncaglia, Ezequiel Garay, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Rojo and Milton Casco.
Midfielders: Lucas Biglia, Roberto Pereyra, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Gago, Ever Banega, Javier Pastore, Erik Lamela and Angel Di Maria.
Attackers: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Manager
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Gerardo "Tata" Martinoย has been in charge of Argentina for almost a year after leaving Barcelona in May 2014. He took over the reins from Alejandro Sabella after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Germany in July last year, and his first act was to beat the same opposition in a friendly less than two months later.
Since then, results have been somewhat mixed; wins over Hong Kong, Croatia and El Salvador donโt count for too much when set against defeats to Portugal and Brazil. A narrow win over Ecuador was Martinoโs most recent fixture in charge.
As has been the case for most Argentina bosses of late, finding a system to get the best out of Lionel Messi is fundamental to the success of the national team. Having managed Messi at club level, that's not alien to Martino. His decisions to recall Carlos Tevez and Nicolas Otamendi, both in awesome form in 2014-15, were astute. Blending the side to create a winning formula, however, is a different matter.
Having finished as the best South American team at the World Cup in Brazil, Argentina will expect success in Chile.
Star Man
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Who else but Lionel Messi?ย The Argentina captain heads into the tournament on the back of some phenomenal form in 2015, winning a domestic double in Spain and with a Champions League final ahead of him.
He is the best player at the tournament, a man so in form that has left professionals and fans alike without enough words to describe his feats, and he will surpass the 100-cap mark for his country at the Copaย if he appears in Argentina's three group-stage games.
Messi will be the star attraction in any game in which Argentina feature, is good enough to beat any defence by either running at it himself or in combination with others and will absolutely be the first person to turn to for a winner in the biggest games for his nation.
One to Watch
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Though Argentina have several players who could fill this slot for a number of reasons, weโre opting for Carlos Tevez as he returns to international tournament football having missed the World Cup.
In great form with Juventus all season longโlike Messi, he won a domestic double and will contest the Champions League finalโTevez brings huge industry and off-the-ball movement to the side to go along with his prodigious levels of talent on the ball and goalscoring ability.
No longer ignored as a potentially disruptive source if he doesnโt play, Tevez could be the first man called upon off the bench if things arenโt going well for Argentina. Can he respond by being the one who makes the difference this time around?
Tournament Record
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For a nation so feared the world around, Argentinaโs recent record at major competitions is surprisingly low key. They have won the Copa America in its present format twice but not in more than 20 years. The side too often fails to come together in the most crucial of matchesโฆthe 2014 FIFA World Cup final being a prime example.
Winners: 14
Runners-up: 12
Last four: Six
Most Recent Finishes
2011: Quarter-finals
2007: Runners-up
2004: Runners-up
2001: Withdrew
1999: Quarter-finals
Fixtures
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13 June, 6:30 p.m. (CLT)โEstadio La Portada, La Serena
Argentina vs. Paraguay
16 June, 8:30 p.m. (CLT)โEstadio La Portada, La Serena
Argentina vs. Uruguay
20 June, 6:30 p.m. (CLT)โEstadio Sausalito, Vina del Mar
Argentina vs. Jamaica
