On paper, Argentina certainly have the ability to lift the Jules Rimet trophy for the third time in their history. However, since the appointment of 1986 World Cup hero and Argentine legend Diego Maradona as manager, things have not gone according to plan for this talented side. Maradona has courted controversy in the media, making obscene remarks to reporters after they narrowly qualified through the arduous South American group.
Argentina’s World Cup history has been marked with sensational victories in 1978 and 1986, but some unsavory moments have also stained their reputation. One such incident was the 1966 World Cup quarter final. On this occasion, their captain Antonio Rattin refused to leave the pitch after being sent off in a 1-0 defeat to eventual winners England and had to be escorted off the field by the police. Maradona himself was shamed after testing positive for banned substance Ephedrine after their last 16 exit in the 1994 World Cup. However, Maradona had already reached deity status in his native Argentina due to his exploits during the 1986 World Cup where he single-handedly dragged his team to victory with a series of breathtaking displays. Although his ‘Hand of God’ gained notoriety during the 2-1 quarter final win against England, his extraordinary solo goal to win the game is regarded by many as the greatest goal in World Cup history. Their other triumph came in 1978 when Mario Kempes and Daniel Passarella inspired Argentina to the title on home soil.
In the 2006 tournament, Argentina looked sensational in dismantling Serbia and Montenegro 6-0 with a memorable team goal the highlight of the display. They dealt with Mexico 2-1 after extra time in the second round, thanks to Maxi Rodriguez’s goal of the tournament. However, the hosts Germany defeated them 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Once again, Argentina were involved in nasty scenes, with a mass brawl taking place between both sets of players after the match had ended.
Argentina were expected to coast through qualifying, but they very nearly failed to make it. With two matches left they were in a precarious position, made worse when Peru equalized in injury time in their penultimate qualifier. Then, Martin Palermo, recalled after a decade in the international wilderness, struck in the fourth minute of stoppage time, prompting wild celebrations from Maradona. There was still time for Peru to hit the crossbar from the halfway line with the last kick of the game. They still needed to win in Montevideo against Uruguay to secure qualification, and did so 1-0 thanks to substitute Mario Bolatti.
The selection of Palermo is indicative of Maradona’s strange team selection (admittedly he did score a crucial goal), with stars such as Carlos Tevez, Sergio Arguero and Gonzalo Higuain not guaranteed starting spots whereas Jonas Gutierrez who currently plays in England’s second division (The Championship) with Newcastle, is one of Maradona‘s favorite selections. World player of the year Lionel Messi has not been accepted by the Argentine faithful despite his brilliance. Perhaps this is due to the fact that he moved to Spain as a young boy to play for Barcelona. The fiercely nationalistic Argentines view Messi as a ‘Catalan’ rather than an Argentine. However, if this mercurial side can keep it together they are a genuine threat. Although they are relatively short odds with the bookmakers, this is not a true indication of their talent. They are arguably the most gifted squad in the tournament, but with their unpredictable coach and temperament, no one knows for sure what they will achieve in the 2010 World Cup.