Argentina women's national football team

The Argentina women's national football team represents Argentina in international women's football. Like their men's counterpart, the women's team has been known or nicknamed "La Albiceleste" (The White and Sky Blue).

Argentina
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)La Albiceleste
(The White and Sky Blue)
AssociationAsociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA)
ConfederationCONMEBOL (South America)
Head coachGermán Portanova
CaptainMiriam Mayorga
Most capsMariana Larroquette
Aldana Cometti (83)
Top scorerMariana Larroquette (22)[1]
Home stadiumVarious
FIFA codeARG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 33 Decrease 2 (15 March 2024)[2]
Highest27 (June 2008; September – December 2009)
Lowest38 (October 2003 – March 2004)
First international
 Argentina 3–2 Chile 
(Santiago, Chile; 3 December 1993)[3]
Biggest win
 Argentina 12–0 Bolivia 
(Uberlândia, Brazil; 12 January 1995)
Biggest defeat
 Germany 11–0 Argentina 
(Shanghai, China; 10 September 2007)
World Cup
Appearances4 (first in 2003)
Best resultGroup stage (2003, 2007, 2019, 2023)
Olympic Games
Appearances1 (first in 2008)
Best resultGroup stage (2008)
Copa América Femenina
Appearances8 (first in 1995)
Best resultChampions (2006)
CONCACAF W Gold Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2024)
Best resultQuarter-finals (2024)

Women's football in Argentina remains largely in the shadow of the men in terms of play development and fan support; in women's sports in Argentina, field hockey and volleyball are also more popular. Almost all its members were amateur players until 1991 when the Campeonato de Fútbol Femenino was founded to increase football popularity among women in Argentina.

The Argentina–Brazil football rivalry in women's football cannot be compared to that of men given the big differences between both countries; Brazil has the clear advantage in matches between them, and has been hosting a competitive professional women's league for many years, while Argentina recently introduced it in 2019.[4]

History

Rubén Suñé, the first coach of Argentina in their history

The team played its first official match against Chile at Estadio Santa Laura on 3 December 1993, which ended in a 3–2 victory.[3] Coached by Rubén Suñé, the Argentina starting line-up was: Valeria Otero (Independiente); María Gérez (River), Gladys Rodriguez (Boca), Corina Riccheza (Boca), Marina Martinez (Boca); Otilia Del Valle Acuña (Boca), Patricia Vera (Sacachispas), María Elizabeth Villanueva (Boca), Karina Morales (River); Fabiana Ochotorena (Boca), Liliana Baca (Independiente).[5][6]

Two years later, Argentina got its biggest win over Bolivia, winning 12–0 in a 1995 South American Women's Football Championship match played at Estádio Parque do Sabiá. Argentina reached the final of that tournament, losing to Brazil 2–0.[7]

The team reached the final of the 1998 South American Women's Football Championship, losing to Brazil again, this time 7–1 in Mar del Plata. In the semi-finals, they beat Peru on penalties 4–3 in dramatic fashion, with the scores at 1–1 after extra time.[8]

In the 2003 Pan American Games, the team reached the semi-finals, where Brazil won 2–1 in a tight match. In the Bronze Medal match, Argentina lost 4–1 to Mexico, and finished in fourth place.[9] Despite a lack of investment and interest, the women's national team played its first World Cup in 2003. They were drawn in a group with Japan, Canada, and Germany; Argentina lost all three matches and scored only once, their lone score was Argentina's first official goal at a World Cup, and it was scored by Yanina Gaitán.[10][11]

After their world cup debut, the team went unbeaten for 14 matches from 2005 until 2007, including throughout the 2006 South American Cup, where they beat Brazil in the final 2–0 to become champions.[12] Their run ended when they lost a friendly with China 1–0 in June 2007. Three days later it got revenge though, and beat China by the same score. Since the team won the South American Cup, there were high expectations for the 2007 World Cup, played in China. However, the squad lost all matches again, including a record 0–11 loss to Germany.[10]

With the 2006 South American Cup title, the team qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics, their Olympic debut. Argentina finished last with no points and only one goal in favor, although less goals were conceded than in the World Cup the previous year.[13]

The team returned to play in the 2014 South American Games, with new coach Luis Nicosia,[14] losing the opening match against Chile 1–0, but winning against Bolivia 4–0 and advancing to the semi-finals, where they won against rivals Brazil on penalties after a 0–0 draw. In the final, they won the gold medal with a 2–1 victory against Chile, which meant they won their first tournament since the 2006 South American Cup.[15][16]

In the 2014 Copa América Femenina, the team finished second in their group, behind Brazil, with three wins and one loss, and qualified for the Final Stage.[17] The top two teams in the final stage qualified for the 2015 Women's World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, and the third-placed team qualified for a CONCACAF-CONMEBOL playoff for World Cup qualification. Argentina finished last in the final stage and missed out on the World Cup and Olympics.[18]

In 2016 the team "effectively" did not exist, as the officials were more interested in investing in the men's side.[19] Following a long struggle to demand for better treatment, the team was restarted in 2017 and its former coach Carlos Borrello was reappointed as coach of the side.[20]

Argentina playing South Korea at the 2019 Cup of Nations

In 2018, Argentina finished third at the Copa América which qualified them for the CONCACAF–CONMEBOL play-off. Argentina defeated the fourth-place finisher from the CONCACAF Championship, Panama, in a two-legged play-off in November 2018 to qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. In the team's debut, they managed a shocking 0–0 draw to Japan, former champions of 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, and gained its first ever point in any Women's World Cup. The next match was a narrow 1–0 loss to England, and then an exciting 3–3 draw to Scotland, after being down 3–0 with 25 minutes left. Although Argentina didn't qualify to the knockout stages, they put in a good performance, with two draws and one loss, finishing the tournament in the group's third place.[20] The women's team's performance was deemed to be one of the country's watershed moment for the long neglected women's side, especially after the disappointing shows of the Argentine men's side in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Copa América.[10]

After the men's team winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, this has created an expectation of scoring the first ever victory in 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. However, they only managed a 0–1 loss to Italy, a 2–2 draw to South Africa and a 0–2 loss to Sweden, finishing the tournament in the last place of the group stage.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win  Draw  Loss  Void or postponed  Fixture

2023

v  Venezuela
6 April Copa Ciudad de Córdoba Argentina  1–1
(6–7 p)
 Venezuela Córdoba, Argentina
20:00 ART (UTC−3)
  • Cometti 90+1'
ReportStadium: Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes
Attendance: 31,800
Referee: Adriana Álvarez (Argentina)
Penalties
v  Venezuela
9 April Friendly Argentina  3–0  Venezuela La Rioja, Argentina
16:00 ART (UTC−3)ReportStadium: Estadio Carlos Augusto Mercado Luna
Attendance: 9,800
Referee: Laura Fortunato (Argentina)
v  Peru
14 July Friendly Argentina  4–0  Peru San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina
20:30 ART (UTC−3)ReportStadium: Estadio Único de San Nicolás
Attendance: 23,000
Referee: Roberta Echeverría (Argentina)
v  Argentina
24 July FIFA WC Group Italy  1–0  Argentina Auckland, New Zealand
18:00 NZST (UTC+12)ReportStadium: Eden Park
Attendance: 30,889
Referee: Melissa Borjas (Honduras)
v  South Africa
28 July FIFA WC Group Argentina  2–2  South Africa Dunedin, New Zealand
12:00 NZST (UTC+12)
ReportStadium: Forsyth Barr Stadium
Attendance: 8,834
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley (New Zealand)
v  Sweden
2 August FIFA WC Group Argentina  0–2  Sweden Hamilton, New Zealand
19:00 NZST (UTC+12)ReportStadium: Waikato Stadium
Attendance: 17,907
Referee: Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda)
v  Argentina
23 September Friendly Japan  8–0  Argentina Kitakyushu, Japan
12:00 JST (UTC+9)
ReportStadium: Kitakyushu Stadium
Attendance: 7,265
Referee: Oh Hyeon-jeong (South Korea)
v  Argentina
26 September Unofficial friendly Japan  0–0  Argentina Kitakyushu, Japan
ReportStadium: Honjo Athletic Stadium
Attendance: 0
Note: Behind-closed-doors training match
v  Argentina
22 October Pan American Games Group Costa Rica  0–0  Argentina Viña del Mar, Chile
20:00 PET (UTC−3)ReportStadium: Estadio Sausalito
Referee: Priscila Vásquez (Peru)
v  Argentina
25 October Pan American Games Group Bolivia  0–3  Argentina Valparaíso, Chile
18:00 PET (UTC−3)Report
Stadium: Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander
Referee: Gabriela Arce (Paraguay)
v  Argentina
28 October Pan American Games Group United States U19  4–0  Argentina Valparaíso, Chile
13:00 PET (UTC−3)
  • Bodak 15'
  • Kohler 20'
  • Villarreal 50'
  • Restovich 54'
ReportStadium: Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander
Referee: Andreza da Siqueira (Brazil)
v  Argentina
31 October Pan American Games SF Mexico  2–0  Argentina Valparaíso, Chile
17:00 PET (UTC−3)
ReportStadium: Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander
Referee: Paula Fernández (Colombia)

2024

v  Argentina
20 February CONCACAF W Gold Cup GS Mexico  0–0  Argentina Carson, United States
16:30 PST (UTC−8)ReportStadium: Dignity Health Sports Park
Attendance: 2,521
Referee: Myriam Marcotte (Canada)
v  United States
23 February CONCACAF W Gold Cup GS Argentina  0–4  United States Carson, United States
19:15 PST (UTC−8)Report
Stadium: Dignity Health Sports Park
Attendance: 8,315
Referee: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (Canada)
v  Dominican Republic
26 February CONCACAF W Gold Cup GS Argentina  3–0  Dominican Republic Carson, United States
16:00 PST (UTC−8)
ReportStadium: Dignity Health Sports Park
Attendance: 4,100
Referee: Odette Hamilton (Jamaica)
v  Argentina
2 March CONCACAF W Gold Cup QF Brazil  5–1  Argentina Los Angeles, United States
19:15 PST (UTC−8)ReportDos Santos 82'Stadium: BMO Stadium
Attendance: 2,824
Referee: Myriam Marcotte (Canada)

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 7 July 2023.[21][22]
PositionName
Head coach Germán Portanova
Assistant coach Franco Caponetto
Assistant coach Sebastián Gómez
Fitness coach Osvaldo Conte
Goalkeeping coach Carlos Canuhe
Video analysis Nicolás Valado

Manager history

Players

Current squad

The following 22 players were named in the squad for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.[31]

Caps and goals are correct as of 2 March 2024, after the match against the Brazil.[32]

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClub
11GKVanina Correa (1983-08-14) 14 August 1983 (age 40)660 Rosario Central
121GKLaurina Oliveros (1993-09-10) 10 September 1993 (age 30)190 Boca Juniors

22DFAdriana Sachs (1993-12-25) 25 December 1993 (age 30)420 Racing
32DFEliana Stábile (1993-11-26) 26 November 1993 (age 30)656 Boca Juniors
42DFJulieta Cruz (1996-06-04) 4 June 1996 (age 27)231 Boca Juniors
62DFAldana Cometti (vice-captain) (1996-03-03) 3 March 1996 (age 28)838 Madrid CFF
132DFSophia Braun (2000-01-26) 26 January 2000 (age 24)302 Kansas City
142DFMiriam Mayorga (captain) (1989-11-20) 20 November 1989 (age 34)500 Boca Juniors
212DFCatalina Roggerone (2003-04-03) 3 April 2003 (age 21)30 CSUB Roadrunners

53MFVanina Preininger (1996-09-26) 26 September 1996 (age 27)90 Boca Juniors
73MFRomina Núñez (1994-01-01) 1 January 1994 (age 30)401 Betis
83MFDaiana Falfán (2000-10-14) 14 October 2000 (age 23)410 Granada
103MFDalila Ippólito (2002-03-24) 24 March 2002 (age 22)251 Pomigliano
153MFMaricel Pereyra (2002-05-11) 11 May 2002 (age 21)151 San Lorenzo
173MFCamila Gómez Ares (1994-10-26) 26 October 1994 (age 29)171 Boca Juniors

94FWEstefanía Palomar (2003-01-07) 7 January 2003 (age 21)90 Boca Juniors
114FWYamila Rodríguez (1998-01-24) 24 January 1998 (age 26)4410 Palmeiras
164FWMarianela Szymanowski (1990-07-31) 31 July 1990 (age 33)60 Pomigliano
184FWCeleste Dos Santos (2003-11-04) 4 November 2003 (age 20)52 Boca Juniors
194FWMariana Larroquette (1992-10-24) 24 October 1992 (age 31)8322 Orlando Pride
204FWChiara Singarella (2003-12-05) 5 December 2003 (age 20)81 South Alabama Jaguars
224FWNina Nicosia (2003-02-02) 2 February 2003 (age 21)00 Pachuca

Recent call-ups

  • The following players have also been called up in the last twelve months.
Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClubLatest call-up
GKAriana Álvarez (2000-03-20) 20 March 2000 (age 24)00 UD Tenerife2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
GKAbigaíl Chaves (1997-07-11) 11 July 1997 (age 26)00 Universidad de Chile2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
GKLara Esponda (2005-11-08) 8 November 2005 (age 18)00 River Plate2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
GKSolana Pereyra (1999-04-05) 5 April 1999 (age 25)100 San Lorenzo2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE

DFValentina Cámara (1993-11-18) 18 November 1993 (age 30)70 Femarguín2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFMarina Delgado (1995-06-12) 12 June 1995 (age 28)110 Atlético San Luis2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFVirginia Gómez (1991-02-16) 16 February 1991 (age 33)80 San Lorenzo2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFNatalie Juncos (1990-12-28) 28 December 1990 (age 33)110Unattached2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFMilagros Martín (2007-04-26) 26 April 2007 (age 17)50 Platense2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFLuana Muñoz (1999-01-22) 22 January 1999 (age 25)50 Celtic2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFMilagros Otazú (2001-05-31) 31 May 2001 (age 22)50 Racing2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DFNerea Agüero (1997-10-14) 14 October 1997 (age 26)20 Granadav.  Japan; 23 September 2023
DFGabriela Chávez (1989-04-09) 9 April 1989 (age 35)330 Boca Juniorsv.  Japan; 23 September 2023

MFLorena Benítez (1998-12-03) 3 December 1998 (age 25)220 Boca Juniors2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup INJ
MFRuth Bravo (1992-03-06) 6 March 1992 (age 32)342 León2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
MFFrancesca Docters (2000-07-22) 22 July 2000 (age 23)00 New York2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
MFAnela Nigito (2004-06-22) 22 June 2004 (age 19)00 CSUB Roadrunners2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
MFFabiana Vallejos (1985-07-30) 30 July 1985 (age 38)174 Coquimbo Unido2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
MFFlorencia Bonsegundo (1993-07-14) 14 July 1993 (age 30)6520 Madrid CFF2023 FIFA Women's World Cup RET
MFVanesa Santana (1990-09-03) 3 September 1990 (age 33)570 Trabzonspor2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

FWVictoria Costa (2000-11-14) 14 November 2000 (age 23)00Unattached2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWMartina Del Trecco (2001-10-28) 28 October 2001 (age 22)10 DUX Logroño2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWPaloma Fagiano (2001-10-30) 30 October 2001 (age 22)30 River Plate2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWAgostina Holzheier (2003-09-30) 30 September 2003 (age 20)70 Racing2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWMilagros Menéndez (1997-03-23) 23 March 1997 (age 27)163 Santos2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWCatalina Primo (2000-05-19) 19 May 2000 (age 23)10 River Plate2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWAmancay Urbani (1991-12-07) 7 December 1991 (age 32)160Unattached2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FWPaulina Gramaglia (2003-03-21) 21 March 2003 (age 21)160 Red Bull Bragantino2023 Pan American Games
FWÉrica Lonigro (1994-07-06) 6 July 1994 (age 29)202 DUX Logroño2023 Pan American Games
FWBrisa Priori (2001-05-03) 3 May 2001 (age 22)40 Boca Juniors2023 Pan American Games
FWEstefanía Banini (1990-06-21) 21 June 1990 (age 33)5313 Atlético Madrid2023 FIFA Women's World Cup RET
FWCarolina Troncoso (1991-01-28) 28 January 1991 (age 33)30 Boca Juniorsv.  Venezuela; 9 April 2023

INJ Withdrew due to injury
PRE Preliminary squad
RET Retired from the national team

Captains

Records

  • Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 20 April 2021.
#PlayerYear(s)Caps

Top goalscorers

#PlayerYear(s)GoalsCaps

Competitive record

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place     Tournament played on home soil  

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup recordQualification record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGASquadPldWDLGFGA
1991Did not enterDid not enter
1995Did not qualify53021811
199984132115
2003Group stage16th3003115Squad5311176
200716th3003118Squad7610211
2011Did not qualify731377
201573131110
2019Group stage18th302134Squad95132015
202327th301225Squad6402136
TotalGroup stage4/912039742543161712871
FIFA Women's World Cup history
YearRoundDateOpponentResultStadium
2003Group stage20 September  JapanL 0–6Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus
24 September  CanadaL 0–3
27 September  GermanyL 1–6RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
2007Group stage10 September  GermanyL 0–11Hongkou Stadium, Shanghai
14 September  JapanL 0–1
17 September  EnglandL 1–6Chengdu Sports Center, Chengdu
2019Group stage9 June  JapanD 0–0Parc des Princes, Paris
14 June  EnglandL 0–1Stade Océane, Le Havre
19 June  ScotlandD 3–3Parc des Princes, Paris
2023Group stage24 July  ItalyL 0–1Eden Park, Auckland
28 July  South AfricaD 2–2Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
2 August  SwedenL 0–2Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina

CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGASquad
1991Did not enter
1995Runners-up2nd53021811Squad
19982nd6411189Squad
20032nd5311176Squad
2006Champions1st7610211Squad
2010Fourth place4th731377Squad
20144th73131110Squad
2018Third place3rd74031514Squad
20223rd6402136Squad
Total1 Title8/9503051512064

CONCACAF W Gold Cup

CONCACAF W Gold Cup record
YearResultPositionPldWDLGFGASquad
2024Quarter-finals7th411249Squad
TotalQuarter-finals1/1411249

Women's Finalissima

Women's Finalissima record
YearResultPositionPldWDLGFGA
2023Did not qualify
Total0/1000000

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGASquad
1996Did not qualify
2000
2004
2008Group stage11th300315Squad
2012Did not qualify
2016
2020
2024
TotalGroup stage1/8300315

Pan American Games

Pan American Games record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGASquad
1999Did not qualify
2003Fourth place4th4103711Squad
2007Group stage5th430185Squad
20117th301236Squad
20158th301237Squad
2019Runners-up2nd532081Squad
2023Fourth place4th511338Squad
2027To be determined
Total1 Silver Medal7/92485113238

South American Games

South American Games record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGA
2014Gold Medal1st421162
2018 to presentU-20 Tournament
TotalGold Medal1/1421162

Minor tournaments

Minor tournaments record
YearResultPositionPldWDLGFGA
1995 Torneio Internacional Cidade de UberlândiaThird place3rd4103514
2000 Copa Guatemala "Cerveza Gallo"Winners1st3300200
2000 Copa Argentina de Fútbol FemeninoWinners1st3300101
2001 Tri-Nations TournamentRunners-up2nd210173
2003 Tri-Nations TournamentThird place3rd200235
2005 Tri-Nations TournamentRunners-up2nd211042
2007 AYSA International Soccer FestivalThird place3rd312042
2008 Peace Queen CupGroup stage8th300308
2010 Copa Bicentenario ChileFifth place5th402204
2014 Torneio Internacional de Brasília de Futebol FemininoFourth place4th4013017
2019 Cup of NationsFourth place4th3003010
2019 Torneio Uber Internacional de Futebol FemininoFourth place4th200218
2021 SheBelieves CupFourth place4th3003111
2022 Ultimate CupThird place3rd201124
Total2 Titles14/1440107235789

Head-to-head record

AgainstPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAGD
 Australia2002010−10
 Bolivia770040040
 Brazil2121181473−59
 Canada6006114−13
 Chile19946362214
 China511319−8
 Colombia1346318126
 Costa Rica723212120
 Denmark200206−6
 Ecuador9522251015
 El Salvador1100606
 England310257−2
 Germany2002117−16
 Guatemala1100505
 Italy200205−5
 Japan7025018−18
 Mexico101181330−17
 New Zealand6312651
 Nicaragua1100909
 Panama4310817
 Paraguay1091027522
 Peru962120713
 Poland1010220
 Puerto Rico2110413
 Scotland1010330
 South Africa1010220
 South Korea300319−8
 Spain100107-7
 Sweden200203−3
 Trinidad and Tobago2110422
 United States*5005132−31
 Uruguay14140051546
 Venezuela5320716
Total182753275319329-10

By confederation

AgainstPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAGD
Africa1010220
North America38117205592-37
South America106581830234134100
Asia171313248-46
Europe1312101148-37
Oceania6312651

FIFA World Ranking

As of 9 December 2022.[37]

  Best Ranking    Worst Ranking    Best Mover    Worst Mover  

Argentina's FIFA World Ranking History
YearRank at
year end
BestWorst
RankMoveRankMove
29202229 435 1
34202134 135 4
31202031 232 1
34201934 337 1
36201835 237 2
36201736 3636 36
34201634 134 1
35201535 136
36201435 137 35
36201336 36
36201233 136 3
35201133 35 5
28201028 129 1
27200927 128
28200827 229 1
29200728 332 1
31200631 137 5
36200536 137
37200437 138
38200335 338 3

Honours

See also

Notes and references

Notes

References

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by South American Champions
2006 (First title)
Succeeded by