Argentina's World Cup openers as reigning champions
Lionel Scaloni’s side will be determined to avoid the experience of his predecessors at the 1982 and 1990 tournaments.
Argentina enter FIFA World Cup 2026 as reigning champions
Albiceleste have lost both previous openers in defending title
FIFA takes a look at historic clashes with Belgium and Cameroon
The FIFA World Cup™ has a different feel to it when a country comes into the tournament as the defending champions. It’s only natural: the pressure mounts, all eyes are on you, and the need to prove yourselves can work against you.
The numbers reflect this too: the tournament has not seen a back-to-back World Cup winner since Brazil lifted the trophy at Chile 1962, having emerged victorious four years earlier in Sweden. As a result, the reigning champions’ opening match is one of the most eagerly-awaited of the tournament.
After being crowned world champions at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, following a nail-biting final against France that was decided on penalties after a 3-3 draw, Argentina claimed their third world title, adding to their crowns from 1978 and 1986.
When Lionel Scaloni’s men take to the field in Kansas City on 16 June to face Algeria in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, they will do so as reigning champions.
But, as FIFA examines, coming into the tournament as holders has, to date, not worked out all that well for the Albiceleste.
Goal: Erwin Vandenbergh (62) Stadium: Camp Nou, Barcelona
On paper, it was arguably the most formidable Argentina outfit in history. Building on the side that got their hands on the 1978 FIFA World Cup, high-profile names like Raman Diaz and Diego Maradona, both stars of the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship™, as well as Jorge Valdano, were brought in to bolster the side. Despite this, Cesar Luis Menotti’s squad never really found their feet in the tournament, with their first challenge coming in their opener against Belgium.
The European outfit proved to be a stern test for Argentina, who went into the match as clear favourites. Belgium had topped their group in the UEFA qualifiers for the tournament, with France finishing as runners-up. They boasted a golden generation, including goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, defender Eric Gerets and Jan Ceulemans, who made them tick.
Belgium set up in their own half with a compact, miserly defence, looking to stifle the space between the lines, keep close tabs on Maradona and Mario Kempes, and make the most of counter-attacks and set pieces.
When in possession, Argentina experienced something they had rarely seen before: they were all at sea. The Albiceleste struggled to find their rhythm going forward and instead depended largely on the individual brilliance of their key players. On many occasions, Maradona was forced to drop so deep to receive the ball from Americo Gallego or Osvaldo Ardiles that the chances of him conjuring up any magic were nigh on impossible.
With 62 minutes on the clock, Erwin Vandenbergh got on the end of a deep cross that split the Argentinian defence led by Daniel Passarella. He brought the ball down on the edge of the six-yard box and, despite Ubaldo Fillol’s best efforts to thwart him, calmly slotted it home.
After drawing first blood, Belgium shored up even more at the back, making it even harder for Menotti’s men to find the key to unlock the European side’s miserly defence. Maradona’s near-perfect free-kick cannoned off the crossbar, and Kempes failed to take advantage of the rebound; apart from that, opportunities were few and far between for them.
Four years later, the two sides went head-to-head once again in the 1986 FIFA World Cup semi-final, with Maradona stealing the show to send Carlos Bilardo’s men through to the final.
Goal: Francois Omam-Biyik (67) Stadium: San Siro, Milan
Arguably one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. With Maradona, Oscar Ruggeri and Sergio Batista firing on all cylinders, and bolstered by new recruits like Abel Balbo and Claudio Caniggia, Argentina were expected to breeze past Cameroon, who were making only their second-ever appearance at the World Cup — their first, in Spain eight years earlier, had seen them draw all three group games and fall at the first hurdle.
It did not take long, however, to see that the reigning champions were looking rather lacklustre. Their star man, Maradona, was carrying an ankle injury which prevented him from performing at his usual scintillating best. Other players were also struggling to find their rhythm.
The Albiceleste managed to muster a few chances during the game but failed to trouble the African outfit, who were hellbent on marking Maradona out of the game with both fouls and aggressive defending. French referee Michel Vautrot took Benjamin Massing’s name for a robust challenge, but Cameroon appeared to foul in a calculated way to avoid picking up too many cautions.
Caniggia entered the fray in the second half and immediately turned the game on its head with an injection of pace, mazy runs down the flank and probing runs into space. Momentum seemed to be shifting Argentina’s way when a foul on ‘The Son of the Wind’ saw Andre Kana-Biyik sent for an early bath, though in the end it was not enough to turn the tide in their favour. Argentina found it difficult to attack as a unit and had to rely on individual flashes of brilliance.
In the 67th minute, Francois Omam-Biyik leapt higher than everyone else after a bizarre rebound and nodded home to put his side one to the good. Despite being one up, it was the African team, rather than Argentina, that came closest to scoring again, particularly from a counter-attack started by Roger Milla and almost converted by Emile Mbouh.
While they never looked fully at their best, hampered by injuries, sending-offs, and players below par, Argentina eventually recovered. They finished Group B as the best third-placed side, having got the better of the Soviet Union in a 2-0 victory and sharing the spoils with Romania in a 1-1 draw.
That led to the famous victory against Brazil in the last 16, marking the moment a team turned a difficult situation into one of the most memorable and celebrated teams in Argentina’s history.