Argentina national football team at the 2006 Football World Cup

by user Bobo

These guys make me pretty emotional. I don't know what it is about Argentinian football, other than the fact that at home, Channel 5 have been showing Argentinian football in the early mornings since early last season, and they've done very, very nicely in doing so. Kudos.

Since I started watching, however, it has to be said that Argentina has survived thanks to a certain number of stalwarts, the great Roberto Abbondanzieri from Boca, and Germán Lux from their direct rivals Club Atlético River Plate. I'm reliably informed that El Monumental is one of the greatest soccer stadia to actually participate in, and the bowl-like atmosphere of its construction is one of the most beautiful things for an Argentinian soccer fan to see on a regular basis.

Argentinian football flows. It flows beautifully and it flows forward. This is the most important aspect of their play, the forward motion perfectly styled upon by top team Arsenal de Sarandí. Argentina aren't so much of an attacking team, the few internationally-known current forwards being Carlos Tevez and Hernán Crespo. But what they do not have in the position of striker, they make up for with the top goalkeepers in the Argentinian league, the aforementioned Abbondanzieri and Lux. I have very rarely seen Oscar Ustari in action, but by the looks of things he will not be needed thanks to the big boys at the top.

And I'm thoroughly aware of the irony in my waxing lyrical about Argentina despite my being an Englishman. Come on. Wikipedia have an article outlining all the reasons I'm supposed to hate them. Never mind. Good luck, fellas.