Has Argentina ever produced a truly great team?

[Skills]

Post war obviously.

Might be a strange question to ask of a 2x winner and 2x finalist, but still worth asking. The Argentina I've been accustomed to is a a team of fairly average players, with a couple of real unreal star players. Maradona famously took an good maybe underwhelming team to a WC win and a final.

The 2014 team had a great forward line up, but with the exception of Mascherano the backline and midfield is a bit underwhelming.

Is it fair to say, for the country that has produced maybe 2 best players ever (maybe 3 of 5 including Di Stefano they don't produce a lot of just good/very good players that can hold their own against?

 

[AlPistacho]

Not sure. I always felt, I might be wrong, that Argentina usually produced more complete teams than say Brazil. Brazil until recently usually lacked great CB & GK, but have always had world class creative and attacking talent.

 

[FootballHQ]

Don't know enough about their 80s vintage to truly know if it was just Maradona and ten water carriers. Jorge Valdano had a good career in europe at least.

Their 1990 and 94 squads weren't up to much. I'd say 1998 was very good though. Top class collection of forwards in Batistuta, Claudio Lopez and an emerging Crespo. Simeone was a year or so off winning the double at Atletico Madrid and had just moved to Serie A. A world cup where Zanetti actually played and Ayala at the back (although he was struggling to impose himself in Serie A before the Valencia move pushed him up a bracket).

2002 could've been great but Bielsa made some odd selection calls. 2006 was the one given the emergence of Riquelme and youngsters like Mascherano, Tevez....and Messi involved. That's probably the best all round squad they've sent to a world cup in recent era.

 

[The White Pele]

The 2006 team looked pretty special at times. This was following on from them winning the Olympics whilst playing some of the best football I’ve seen. Unfortunately they were caught out by the hosts Germany on penalties so didn’t advance beyond the QF

 

[68cob]

I suppose some would say that they wouldn't have won in 78 if Cruyff had gone to the tournament and might not have in '86 if Maradona hadn't used his hand to score. Without those two small factors and victories, we wouldn't even be asking the question.

 

[giorno]

Yes obviously. The '78 side was fantastic, and their sides of the 90s and 00s too were stacked

2014 they lacked quality CBs, but otherwise it was another great team, one that likely wins the world cup if Di Maria doesn't get injured

 

[Yakuza_devils]

No.

The truly great teams in the history were mainly produced by Brazil, Germany and Italy.

Only France (Zidane's era) and Spain (Xavi's era) were truly great team too.

 

[Giggsy13]

I’d take not being a truly great team and winning 2 world cups and appearing in 4 finals. How many “truly great” teams have failed to win? The Dutch have produced some fantastic sides and don’t have a single WC to show for it.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Their 1986 team is underrated. People make it sound like it was Maradona and ten useless wankers, but that's a bit unfair.

Their 2006 team was pretty complete and would've probably won it all if not for managerial cowardice.

 

[Real Name]

Define truly great.

Both 1978 and 1986 were very good teams, some they had in 90s and 00s were great also, for instance 1998 and 2006 ones.

 

[OmarUnited4ever]

From my memory, in 1998, their starting line up had Zanetti, Ayala, Almeyda, Simeone, Veron, Ortega, Lopez and Batistuta, that's pretty much a team capable of winning a WC.

In 2002, it was Samuel ,Zanetti, Pochettino, Sorin, Veron, Ortega, K.Gonzales, Lopez, Aimar, Crespo and Batistuta, in the squad, again another stacked team.

Their WC squads from 2006 and onwards until today were never as stacked with talent like the 1998 & 2002 squads.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

2006 was a great balanced side. They’re 1 nil up against Germany in the quarters, manager takes off Riquelme, control gone, Germany score, win on penalties. Good example of a manager fecking it up with his subs. Tournament football is small margins.

 

[Cloud7]

I feel like their 2010 team could have done better under a better manager than Maradona

 

[Lay]

2006. The Riquelme sub turned the game. They also didn’t bring on Messi but instead used Julio Cruz

 

[MTF]

2006 was a great balanced side. They’re 1 nil up against Germany in the quarters, manager takes off Riquelme, control gone, Germany score, win on penalties. Good example of a manager fecking it up with his subs. Tournament football is small margins.

Agree on the 2006 shouts, fairly balanced team. Probably the best Argentina team Messi has ever been on, unfortunate for him it was so early in his career.

I feel like their 2010 team could have done better under a better manager than Maradona

Also agree here. Not as strong as the 2006 side, but Maradona was a really weak manager.

 

[Cloud7]

Also agree here. Not as strong as the 2006 side, but Maradona was a really weak manager.

He had Cambiasso and Zanetti who were fresh from winning the CL that he didn’t even take to the tournament. Milito who had just won the tournament. Messi who was already unbelievable at that point. A still good Tevez. Di Maria, Mascherano etc.

Had he taken the two from Inter, I feel like their performances as well as experience and leadership could have played a big part.

 

[Dannn411]

06 was their best side in a while but the 2010 team was the one that had the potential but it was squandered with a bad coach. Argentina always have the talent. It just a matter of what the coach does with it.

 

[VorZakone]

He had Cambiasso and Zanetti who were fresh from winning the CL that he didn’t even take to the tournament. Milito who had just won the tournament. Messi who was already unbelievable at that point. A still good Tevez. Di Maria, Mascherano etc.

Had he taken the two from Inter, I feel like their performances as well as experience and leadership could have played a big part.

Did he ever explain why he didn't take those players? Baffling decisions.

 

[Lay]

Did he ever explain why he didn't take those players? Baffling decisions.

From memory so probably not 100%

He felt they didn’t follow his instructions. They almost failed to qualify and had to beat Colombia to go to the World Cup. Zanetti and Cambiasso took matters into their own hands and won the game 1-0. Diego was annoyed they ignored his tactics so banished them

 

[gerdm07]

The 2006 team probably had the best midfield ever except Spain at their peak. They were beating Germany 1-0 and Peckerman the coach decided to not play Messi and go entirely defensive from the 60 minute mark. German predictably won. I think in that game Argentina scored a lovely goal after a 30+ pass sequence.

They were the best team that year and should have won.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Agree on the 2006 shouts, fairly balanced team. Probably the best Argentina team Messi has ever been on, unfortunate for him it was so early in his career.

Also agree here. Not as strong as the 2006 side, but Maradona was a really weak manager.

2010 was one of the worst squad selections ever, left Zanetti and Cambiasso at home iirc, who had just won the CL, meanwhile Guttierrez was prominent and Martin Palermo made it. It’s a weird irony that Maradona fecked it up for Messi.

 

[GifLord]

Their youth teams in 00s

u20
2001 - World champions - Squad included the likes of Saviola, Coloccini, Burdisso, Maxi Rodriguez, D'Allesandro, Cabalero..
2003 - 4th - Squad included the likes of Tevez, Mascherano, Cavenaghi, Zabaleta,...
2005 - World champions - Squad included the likes of Messi, Aguero, Gago, Zabaleta, Biglia, Garay...
2007 -World champions - Squad included the likes of Aguero, Di Maria, Banega, Fazio, Zarate, Romero...

 

[Cloud7]

Did he ever explain why he didn't take those players? Baffling decisions.

From memory so probably not 100%

He felt they didn’t follow his instructions. They almost failed to qualify and had to beat Colombia to go to the World Cup. Zanetti and Cambiasso took matters into their own hands and won the game 1-0. Diego was annoyed they ignored his tactics so banished them

Didn't he also go on record as saying he picked someone because he dreamt him? Who knows what was going on in his mind when he made decisions

 

[phelans shorts]

Didn't he also go on record as saying he picked someone because he dreamt him? Who knows what was going on in his mind when he made decisions

Martin Palermo, but he ended up actually doing well and being a real point of difference when they needed something different. Albeit Milito would probably have offered the same.

2006 was the best Argentina I’ve seen. Messi breaking through and just so capable of controlling games, losing on penalties in the quarters to Germany in Germany is no shame.

 

[JJ12]

A lot of people are listing great individuals
In one team.

But would you say that Englands golden generation was a great team? Absolutely not.

I haven’t seen a ‘great’ Argentina team yet. Always filled with very good individuals though.

 

[Just Hope]

2006 was amazing.

2014 was ok, as well as 2018.

 

[Josh 76]

From reading all the posts on here, the conclusion is, Argentina have had some of the best teams/players ever since they won it In 1986.

Just a big mystery why they have never won it again.

 

[giorno]

From reading all the posts on here, the conclusion is, Argentina have had some of the best teams/players ever since they won it In 1986.

Just a big mystery why they have never won it again.

Nah, just a combination of poor managerial selections, bad luck, and the occasional bad timing facing somebody even better(Holland in '98 comes to mind)

 

[Stack]

No.

The truly great teams in the history were mainly produced by Brazil, Germany and Italy.

Only France (Zidane's era) and Spain (Xavi's era) were truly great team too.

78 was a truely great team.
Did you get to watch them?

 

[SirReginald]

At least since I can remember (Albeit early noughties) they’ve had some truly fantastic players and squads but never really been a great team. Don’t know if they all want to impersonate Maradona and be a 1 man mariachi band or if it’s something completely different. But they’ve failed their country miserably.

 

[FootballHQ]

A lot of people are listing great individuals
In one team.

But would you say that Englands golden generation was a great team? Absolutely not.

I haven’t seen a ‘great’ Argentina team yet. Always filled with very good individuals though.

2014 surely? Messi, Mascherano, Di Maria with many CLs between them and Higuain and Lavezzi were excellent for Napoli who again were a top level side just like now. Aguero also arguably the best prem striker at the time although he played more of a bit part in that tournament with a niggling injury.

Perhaps the defence didn't have amazing individuals compared to 2000s but they didn't concede a single goal in normal time in the knock out games and they played against some very good attackers in that run.

 

[RoyH1]

86 was a much better team than anyone credits them for. Valdano, Ruggeri, Brown, Burruchaga were part of a solid defensive side

 

[The_Midfielder]

From my memory, in 1998, their starting line up had Zanetti, Ayala, Almeyda, Simeone, Veron, Ortega, Lopez and Batistuta, that's pretty much a team capable of winning a WC.

In 2002, it was Samuel ,Zanetti, Pochettino, Sorin, Veron, Ortega, K.Gonzales, Lopez, Aimar, Crespo and Batistuta, in the squad, again another stacked team.

Their WC squads from 2006 and onwards until today were never as stacked with talent like the 1998 & 2002 squads.

They lost against probably the best Dutch players ever assembled ..with a wonder goal .

 

[Kopral Jono]

2006, off the top of my head. But Pekerman and his cowardly tactics didn't make the most of that side.

 

[Revan]

Their 1986 team is underrated. People make it sound like it was Maradona and ten useless wankers, but that's a bit unfair.

Their 2006 team was pretty complete and would've probably won it all if not for managerial cowardice.

Was it managerial cowardice or Pekerman saving Riquelme for the next match (also, he was ineffective considering that the Germans were man marking him, although he created the goal).

 

[Andersonson]

I dont think people understand how difficult it is to win a cup like this. Luck and margins plays a huge huge role. The 'best' team doesnt always win the cups

 

[FrankFoot]

1986 was a great team, had Copa Libertadores winners (when the difference between Copa Libertadores and the European Cup was inexistent)...people underrate that team cause Maradona brilliance, but they had experienced top players aside from Diego.

Their 2006 team was also great, better than the current one ore sure.

 

[Pocho]

1978 was a great team.

 

[Infordin]

I will repeat what I said in another thread:

Looking back at the team Argentina had (or could have had) at the 2010 World Cup, the fact that they gave the keys to Maradona remains one of the most insane football decisions of all time.

Attackers: Messi, Aguero, Higuain, Tevez, Milito

Midfielders: Mascherano, Cambiasso, Riquelme, Di Maria, Lavezzi

Defenders: Zanetti, Samuel, Zabaleta, Heinze, Garay

Absolutely ridiculous waste of talent.

 

[Gio]

Another vote for 2006. Were the best team in the tournament until the final minutes of the Germany game. To be honest any of their teams from the late 1990s until then were absolutely stacked. What that generation of teams lacked in comparison to the successful vintages of 78 and 86 was one or both of very astute management and a superstar to drag them over the line in tight games.