Argentina National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Redondo · Maradona · Riquelme · Di Stefano · Messi · Di María · Heinze · Zanetti · Passarella · Ruggeri · A. Carrizo

Argentina wants to control the ball and play vertical football. They utilize a 5-2-3 formation to dominate the pitch. This lineup is built to play high tempo football and use the skill of their attackers to break the line.

A. Carrizo guards the goal and can play short from the back to start the buildup. The defensive unit relies on a back five consisting of Redondo, Passarella, and Ruggeri. Redondo holds the central position to cover the space while Passarella and Ruggeri act as ball playing defenders. Zanetti works as an attacking wing back on the right side to provide width. Heinze plays as the left wing back and will often overlap the winger to stretch the defence. The team can sit deep or push up to squeeze the space.

The midfield functions with a two-man pairing of Maradona and Riquelme. Maradona uses his incredible dribbling style to carry the ball forward and break lines. Riquelme acts as the playmaker who will receive on the half-turn and find the feet of the striker. These two must work together to protect the center and connect the defensive unit to the front three. They often drop deep to receive the ball and recycle possession.

Up front, Di Stefano works as a pressing centre-forward to bother the opposition back line. Messi plays on the right as an inverted winger who will cut inside to find pockets of space. Di María operates on the left and looks to get to the byline to whip it in or cut it back. The forwards aim to create runs in behind and use link-up play between the lines. They look to attack in combinations to isolate defenders in one on one situations.

This formation offers the ability to create wide overloads when the wing backs push high. Argentina can also use their technical quality to play through the lines and find the front three in tight spaces. The team is very effective at winning the ball high up the pitch and starting a quick break. The presence of multiple playmakers allows them to switch play and move the ball with speed.

The Argentina 5-2-3 formation provides a balance of defensive strength and attacking creativity. It is best suited for matches against opponents who play a high line or struggle to track runners in the half spaces.