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The first, and in many cases only, thing that people think of when they hear about Argentina soccer is Diego Maradona. If he wasn't the best player ever to kick a ball, he is certainly in the discussion. He led his team to their second World Cup win in 1986 in truly dominant fashion and almost did it again in 1990 before Argentina lost in the final to West Germany. Maradona was a huge talent, but he was an even bigger presence and that wasn't always positive. His failed drug test at the 1994 World Cup was just one example of the negativity that he could bring to the team. The team has struggled since then to find an identity beyond Maradona. This squad has the talent to help people to move into the next era of Argentinean soccer. All that remains is for this team is to capitalize on the opportunity.

Not only has the team struggled to emerge from the shadow of Maradona, but it has struggled in the shadow of neighboring Brazil. Their hated rival always seems to steal the spotlight from them. No sooner had they completed a stretch of two wins and a Final appearance in four World Cups than did Brazil win their fourth title in 1994. When Argentina suffered an embarrassing first-round loss in 2002, it had to suffer the extra humiliation of another win by Brazil. Every little step Argentina takes, Brazil seems to be stay a step ahead. Argentina qualified easily and comes into the tournament ranked No. 4 in the world, but it still has to contend with being behind Brazil in both world ranking and qualification group standings. As always, this team will be motivated by a desire to surpass the accomplishments of its rival.

Group C, the group of death that this team finds itself in, will present a special chance for revenge. In 1998 it was knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinals by the very Dutch team it will face in the first round. Many of the faces have changed on both sides, but Argentina will still be looking to avenge that loss.

Argentina World Cup 2006 Odds: Bodog has Argentina listed at 13-2 to win the 2006 World Cup, making it the second choice behind bitter rival Brazil.

Strengths: Argentina has a stunning amount of depth in their lineup. Their midfield is particularly strong, anchored by Villareal teammates Juan Riquelme and Juan Pablo Sorin. Riquelme is as good a playmaker as you can find in soccer today and team captain Sorin's very strong passing is matched by his leadership. This makes it very hard for teams to get anything going against Argentina.

Up front, there are a number of strong scoring threats. Hernan Crespo is far from the most consistent player in the world, but he is among the most talented when he is at his best. Luciano Figueroa has found his scoring touch at Villareal. Carlos Tevez was the star of Argentina's 2004 Olympic gold medal winning team and brings his striking skills to the senior squad this time around.

The player to watch in many people's eyes is Lionel Messi, the 18-year-old FC Barcelona striker who was dominant when his side beat Chelsea in the Champions League in February. At some point, every player in Argentina with talent is called the 'next Maradona', but Messi was recently given that title by none other than Maradona himself. He has yet to make an impact at the senior international level, but there will be no better opportunity for his breakthrough than June in Germany.

Weaknesses: Argentina must function under a tremendous amount of pressure. After a terrible showing in 2002, their fans are not going to accept anything short of a win. These expectations won’t be a problem unless they struggle early. If that happens, the weight of a country’s hopes could crush this team. Coach Jose Pekerman, who was General Manager of the 2002 squad and coached the U-20 team to three world championships, has moved behind the bench to improve the squad’s performance.

Having a player in the midfield who is as dominant as Riquelme is definitely a huge asset. The problem, though, is that the whole midfield seems to follow his lead. If he plays poorly the midfield can fall apart and Crespo and the forwards are left on their own. More than any single player, Riquelme must be on his game for this team to succeed.

Argentina World Cup 2006 Outlook: Like every team in Group C, getting out of the first round is a real challenge. Argentina is arguably the deepest and most talented team, but they know as well as anyone that nothing is certain in round one. Argentina has to be favored to survive, though.

Once Argentina makes it through the first round it can beat any team. If the team plays its best game, it stands a good chance of beating everyone, including Brazil. Argentina could very well win it all. That might be the only way to please the fans.

Argentina World Cup 2006 Schedule

Saturday, June 10, Group C1 Argentina vs. Group C2 Côte d'Ivoire, in Hamburg, 9 p.m.

Friday, June 16, Group C1 Argentina vs. Group C3 Serbia & Montenegro, in Gelsenkirchen, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21, Group C4 Netherlands vs. Group C1 Argentina, in Frankfurt, 9 p.m.

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