The Argentina national under-20 football team has been the most successful nation in the FIFA World Youth Championship, winning a record six times. Argentina has participated in twelve of the 16 World Cup events, since the Japan 1979 edition, which it won. Its most recent participation was its sixth title, in Canada 2007. Argentina has won four South American Youth Championships.
Many of Argentina's top players came through the ranks of the youth teams, including Javier Saviola, Esteban Cambiasso, Carlos Tévez, Javier Mascherano, Mauro Zárate, Fernando Gago, Sergio Agüero, Lionel Messi, and even the great Diego Maradona himself.
[edit] Competitive record
| Year | Round | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
 1977 | Did not participate | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1979 | Champions | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
 1981 | First round | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
 1983 | Runners-up | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2 |
 1985 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1987 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1989 | Quarter-finals | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
 1991 | First round | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 1993 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 1995 | Champions | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 3 |
 1997 | Champions | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 7 |
 1999 | Second round | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
 2001 | Champions | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 |
 2003 | Semi-finals | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 8 |
 2005 | Champions | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 |
 2007 | Champions | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
 2009 | Did not qualify | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 12/17 | 67 | 49 | 4 | 14 | 137 | 51 |
- Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil. Gold background color indicates first place finish. Silver background color indicates second place finish.
[edit] Individual awards
In addition to team victories, Argentine players have won many individual awards at FIFA World Youth Cups.
[edit] Current squad
The following players were called for the 2009 South American Youth Championship held in Venezuela.
| No. | Pos. | Player | DoB (Age) | Caps | Goals | Club | | 1 | GK | Luis Ojeda | March 21, 1990 (1990-03-21) (age 19) | 2 | 0 | Unión | | 2 | DF | Fernando Tobio | October 18, 1989 (1989-10-18) (age 20) | 8 | 0 | Vélez Sársfield | | 3 | DF | Emiliano Insúa | January 7, 1989 (1989-01-07) (age 20) | 24 | 0 |  Liverpool | | 4 | DF | Fernando Meza | March 21, 1990 (1990-03-21) (age 19) | 7 | 0 | San Lorenzo | | 5 | MF | Exequiel Benavídez | March 5, 1989 (1989-03-05) (age 20) | 7 | 0 | Boca Juniors | | 6 | DF | Federico Fernández | February 21, 1989 (1989-02-21) (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Estudiantes La Plata[1] | | 7 | MF | Eduardo Salvio | September 13, 1989 (1989-09-13) (age 20) | 8 | 4 | Lanús | | 8 | MF | Franco Zuculini | September 5, 1990 (1990-09-05) (age 19) | 5 | 0 |  Hoffenheim | | 9 | FW | Juan Neira | February 21, 1989 (1989-02-21) (age 20) | 5 | 0 | Gimnasia LP | | 10 | MF | Damián Lizio | June 30, 1989 (1989-06-30) (age 20) | 4 | 0 |  Córdoba | | 11 | FW | Jonathan Cristaldo | March 5, 1989 (1989-03-05) (age 20) | 8 | 1 | Vélez Sársfield | | 12 | GK | Diego Rodríguez | June 25, 1989 (1989-06-25) (age 20) | 6 | 0 | Independiente | | 13 | DF | Julián Fernández | July 18, 1989 (1989-07-18) (age 20) | 6 | 0 | Argentinos Juniors | | 14 | DF | Maximiliano Oliva | March 4, 1990 (1990-03-04) (age 19) | 2 | 0 | Tigre | | 15 | FW | Andrés Ríos | January 8, 1989 (1989-01-08) (age 20) | 4 | 0 | River Plate | | 16 | MF | Marcelo Benítez | May 29, 1989 (1989-05-29) (age 20) | 4 | 1 | Lanús | | 17 | FW | Cristian Gaitán | January 15, 1990 (1990-01-15) (age 19) | 6 | 1 | Estudiantes La Plata | | 18 | FW | Leandro Velázquez | May 10, 1989 (1989-05-10) (age 20) | 8 | 1 | Vélez Sársfield[2] | | 19 | FW | Iván Bella | September 13, 1989 (1989-09-13) (age 20) | 7 | 1 | Vélez Sársfield | | 20 | FW | Andrés Romero | December 21, 1989 (1989-12-21) (age 20) | 4 | 0 | Argentinos Juniors[3] | |
- ^ Mateo Musacchio was originally named in the squad but sustained and injury prior to the tournament. Ignacio Fideleff was called to replace him but also suffered and injury. Federico Fernández finally filled the spot.
- ^ Pablo Piatti was originally named in the squad but his club, Almería, refused to give him. Javier Pastore was called to replace him but Huracán, his club, also refused. Leandro Velázquez filled the spot.
- ^ Franco Di Santo was initially called but his club, Chelsea, refused to give him. Andrés Romero was his replacement.
[edit] Former squads
[edit] See also
