Preview: Argentina comes into the World Cup with heavy expectations levied by their fans.  A first round exit in 2002 was a disaster, and the Argentinean side must fully atone for the disappointment.  Coach Marcelo Bielsa held on to his job nevertheless, and will return only Hernan Crespo, Juan Pablo Sorin, Roberto Ayala and Pablo Aimar as 2002 holdovers.  Joining them will be star playmaker Juan Riquelme, Inter forward Julio Cruz and 18 year old Lionel Messi.  The Argentineans have an incredibly strong midfield, an experienced defense, and a slew of capable strikers.

The team in the white and blue faces formidable opposition in their group C, but hopes to face even tougher competition in the advanced rounds, such as historical rival Brazil and European giants Germany and England.

Result: Argentina played brilliantly early on, especially on offense, and many considered them to be one the favorites after group play was over.  The quarterfinal showdown against Germany produced one of the most hotly contested matches of the tournament, and the penalty shootout loss in Berlin ended their run.