Argentina National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

VILLALBA (8) · RAIMONDO (7) · JUANMA DIZ (10 (C)) · PEREZ (14) · CUSO (5) · PORCEL (24) · GORDI (13) · ESLINGER (26) · MASCIARELLI (6) · ACUÑA (4) · BASURA (23)

Argentina looks to win the ball back high up the pitch and strike on the transition using a 5-2-3. This lineup relies on verticality to catch opponents out of position. The team wants to use the width of the pitch to stretch the defence and create openings for the front three.

BASURA sits between the posts to command the area. The defensive unit operates with a back five that can shift into a flat line when defending deep. PORCEL acts as the central anchor of the back three, while ESLINGER and GORDI sit on either side to cover space and win the second ball. ACUÑA acts as an attacking wing back on the left, providing width and looking to whip it in from the flank. MASCIARELLI operates as the right wing back, tasked to push up the pitch and support the attack before tracking back to help the defence.

The midfield operates as a double pivot in the center of the pitch. PEREZ and CUSO work together to control the middle zone and protect the back five. PEREZ focuses on pressing aggressively to win the ball high up the pitch, while CUSO acts to recycle possession and connect the defensive and attacking lines. They must work to compress the midfield when the opposition tries to play through the lines, ensuring no space grows between the defence and the attack.

Argentina uses three attackers across the front to keep the opposition back line pinned. VILLALBA acts as the lone striker, looking to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. RAIMONDO and JUANMA DIZ play as wide attackers, with RAIMONDO often looking to cut inside to create central threats. This front line is designed to press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition. The movement of the front three aims to create runs in behind and isolate wide players in one on one situations.

One major advantage for Argentina is the ability to create wide overloads when ACUÑA and MASCIARELLI push high. This creates a heavy presence on the flanks that forces the opposition to pull players out of position. Another strength is the compactness when defending in a low block, making it very hard for opponents to find gaps. The formation allows for quick transitions where the wing backs can immediately spread wide to start a break.

This 5-2-3 formation is built to play a high pressing game that transitions into rapid counter attacks. It is best suited for games against teams that hold a lot of possession and leave space behind their defensive line.