Winning a World Cup is something that nations experience collectively, as a whole, but it is especially momentous for those who actually attend the event in person. Fans looking to head to Brazil for this summer's World Cup tournament will want a full range of team gear to show their support for Argentina, and you can find it all at Soccer Box, whether you are looking for the Argentina 2014 World Cup home jersey or a team football scarf.
This year's Argentina home kit is particularly striking, featuring the team's classic blue-and-white stripe motif and the Argentina badge, complete with its two World Cup stars. The jersey was manufactured by Adidas and is made with ClimaCool technology.
Journeying Back
Some may say, that the Argentina 2014 World Cup home jersey is more about modern comfort and aesthetic appeal. On the contrary, part of the reason that the shirt is in such high-demand from Argentina fans right now is what it represents (or more specifically, what those two gold stars above the team crest represent): a legacy of World Cup glory.
Argentina's first victory at the World Cup came in 1978, when the tournament was actually hosted in the team's home country. On that particular occasion, fans came out in droves wearing the Argentina home kit, and their vigor and volume pushed the Argentina team to its strongest performance ever in the World Cup.
The 1978 Cup
Back in 1978, there were still two different group stages leading to the final instead of one group stage and a knockout stage. In the first round, Argentina was drawn into a group with Italy, France, and Hungary. The team lost in a 1-0 match to Italy, but defeated France and Hungary for a right to move onto the second round. Argentinian fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.
It was in the second round, however, where the Argentina national football team really began to shine. The team handily defeated both Poland and Peru (the latter with a decisive 6-0 final score), and despite the fact that Brazil beat the same teams and drew with Argentina, the host country earned the right to progress to the championship match thanks to its preponderance of goals.
Needless to say, having the top goal scorer in the tournament (in the form of Mario Kempes, who put away six shots total) made all the difference. Two of those goals came in an extra-time final against The Netherlands, winning Argentina its first World Cup title.
The 1986 Cup
The second star on the Argentina 2014 World Cup home jersey comes from 1986, when Argentina won its second football World Cup title in Mexico. Again, Argentina was drawn into a group with Italy (as well as Bulgaria and South Korea), but this time, the team managed to beat the two inferior teams while also drawing with Italy. The group victory was the first sign of what was to come.
By 1986, FIFA was using the knockout stage instead of a second group round, and Argentina showed nothing but skill with the new format, defeating previous winners Uruguay and England (as well as dark horse contenders, Belgium) to reach the final. There, the Argentina team capped its second World Cup title with a 3-2 win against West Germany.
Aside from a 1990 runner-up finish, Argentina hasn't contended for a World Cup title since that 1986 win, but since the team is currently situated at number 7 on FIFA's world rankings, fans are optimistic about the team's chances in Brazil.
