Argentina might not be the first name to spring to mind when thinking of world sporting superpowers.
But when one considers its success and competitiveness across such a range of sports, it is hard not to rate it right up there with the best.
Throughout history, it has been among the world’s best in football and polo, and has improved over the past 30 years in rugby, basketball and hockey.
In individual sports, it has produced several grand slam-winning tennis players, world champion boxers, major-winning golfers and a Formula 1 great.
Not bad for a country whose population — 38million — pales in comparison to the likes of the United States and China.
A good diet, a mild climate, a competitive nature and a sports-mad tradition are all factors believed to contribute to the country’s sporting performance.
Playing sports is a big thing in the country and clubs are the focal point of most communities.
While the country’s sporting scene does not have money poured into it like other countries, it remains affordable.
Its facilities are often basic, but they are accessible.
Statistics from 2008 estimated the country to have 200,000 tennis courts, compared to the 35,000 in Great Britain.
Likewise, there were 84 rugby clubs just in Buenos Aires.
With a diverse population, the country boasts large participation and following in a range of sports.
Argentina’s sporting success
Rugby union
Best achievements: Third 2007 World Cup, fourth 2015 World Cup.
Greatest players: Hugo Porta, Augustin Pichot.After building steadily, the Pumas became a genuine top-contender through the 1980s, notching some impressive results.
Went through a rebuilding phase in the 1990s, before finally becoming recognised as a genuine power after their famous 2007 World Cup performance.
Kept growing from there and were eventually included in the Rugby Championship in 2012.
Football
Best achievements: World Cup winners 1978 and 1986.
Greatest players: Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Consistently one of the world’s top nations in the world’s most popular and competitive team sport.
Known for playing with flair and, in Maradona and Messi, it has produced two of the best dribblers in history.
Most recently finished second in the 2014 World Cup and has been a regular in the quarterfinal stage.
Basketball
Best achievements: Olympic gold medal 2004, World Cup winner 1950, runner-up 2002.
Greatest player: Manu Ginobili.
Made its real impact through the 2000s when its "golden generation" led the team to Olympic glory in 2004.It upset the US 89-81 in its semifinal on the way to doing so, marking the only time the US has not won gold since professional players were admitted to the Games.
While Ginobili was the star of the era, more than half of that team ended up turning out in the NBA.
Hockey
Best achievements: Women’s World Cup winner 2002, 2010, men’s Olympic gold 2016.
Greatest player: Luciana Aymar.
Can claim success in both the men’s and women’s game in recent times.
With two world championships and four Olympic medals from 2000 to 2012, the Argentina women’s team has been one of the world’s best and most consistent.
However, the men stepped out from their shadow in 2016, winning gold at the Rio Olympics.
Polo
Best achievements: Four-time world champion
Greatest player: Adolfo Combiaso.A polo-obsessed country, Argentina has won more world championships than anyone else and is widely regarded to have the world’s best league.
It regularly boasts the world’s highest-ranked players, at present having seven of the top eight.It was most recently crowned world champion in 2011, although it had a disappointing showing in 2015.
Tennis
Best achievements: Multiple grand slam winners
Greatest players: Guillermo Vilas, Juan Martin del Potro, Gabriela Sabatini
Has been relevant on the world tennis stage since the 1970s, with 11 men ranked in the world top 10 over that time, as well as three women.Guillermo Vilas was key in making the sport popular in the country, winning four grand slam tournaments from 1977 to 1979.
More recently, del Potro has been the country’s star, winning the US Open in 2009.
