Argentina 2–0 Belgium: 1986 World Cup match
2–0Full time
Match in one glance
ArgentinaBelgiumGoalCard
Argentina
Belgium
0′HTFT
First half0′–45′Second half45′–90′
Expected goals race
Chance quality as it accumulated. Each step is a shot.
A goal marker sits on the line at each recorded goal. Shootout penalties are excluded — they are not part of the match's expected goals.
Team comparison
ArgentinaBelgium
53.9%Possession sequences46.1%
18Shots21
6On target3
1.82Expected goals (xG)1.03
452Passes395
84.1%Pass accuracy77.2%
13Corners7
12Fouls21
Leading shot threats
Ranked by xG- 1DADiego Armando MaradonaArgentina · 2 goals0.87xG
- 2FVFranky VercauterenBelgium · 0 goals0.62xG
- 3JAJorge Alberto Francisco Valdano CastellanoArgentina · 0 goals0.47xG
- 4JLJorge Luis BurruchagaArgentina · 0 goals0.20xG
- 5HAHéctor Adolfo EnriqueArgentina · 0 goals0.15xG
Decisive moments
2 eventsPath through 1986
Full tournamentMatch details
Verified record- Round
- Semi-final
- Stage
- Semi-final
- Date
- 1986-06-25
- Venue
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Result
- 2–0
- Coverage
- Score, result and scorers; lineup-derived records available; full lineups, expected goals and shot locations
Scorers
Argentina / BelgiumArgentina
Diego Maradona51′
Diego Maradona63′
Belgium
No goals
Complete match timeline
ArgentinaBelgiumGoalCardSubstitution
Argentina
Belgium
0′HTFT
Chance creation
xG per five minutes · larger peaks = better chancesFirst half0′–45′Second half45′–90′
Event feed
6 eventsKey phases
Goals in each periodFirst half
0′–45′0 – 0No goals in this period
Second half
45′–90′2 – 0D. Maradona 51′ · D. Maradona 63′
Event records: © Joshua C. Fjelstul, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0. Grouped and formatted for this timeline.
Argentina
3-5-2NP
18Nery PumpidoOR
19Oscar RuggeriJL
5José Luis BrownJL
9José Luis CuciuffoRG
14Ricardo GiustiJO
16Julio OlarticoecheaSB
2Sergio BatistaHE
12Héctor EnriqueJB
7Jorge BurruchagaJV
11Jorge ValdanoDM
10Diego MaradonaListed formation · positions are schematic
Substitutes used
- 3RBRicardo Bochini85′
Match contributions
- Diego Maradona⚽ 2
- Jorge Valdano▰ 33′
Full starting XI and recorded positions
- 2SBSergio BatistaDefensive midfielder
- 5JLJosé Luis BrownSW
- 7JBJorge BurruchagaCentral midfielder
- 9JLJosé Luis CuciuffoCentre-back
- 10DMDiego MaradonaSS
- 11JVJorge ValdanoCentre-forward
- 12HEHéctor EnriqueCentral midfielder
- 14RGRicardo GiustiRight midfielder
- 16JOJulio OlarticoecheaLeft midfielder
- 18NPNery PumpidoGoalkeeper
- 19OROscar RuggeriCentre-back
Belgium
3-5-2JP
1Jean-Marie PfaffSD
21Stéphane DemolGG
13Georges GrünMR
5Michel RenquinEG
2Eric GeretsPV
22Patrick VervoortJC
11Jan CeulemansES
8Enzo ScifoFV
6Franky VercauterenDV
18Daniel VeytNC
16Nico ClaesenListed formation · positions are schematic
Substitutes used
- 10PDPhilippe Desmet54′
Match contributions
- Daniel Veyt▰ 27′
Full starting XI and recorded positions
- 1JPJean-Marie PfaffGoalkeeper
- 2EGEric GeretsRight-back
- 5MRMichel RenquinCentre-back
- 6FVFranky VercauterenLeft midfielder
- 8ESEnzo ScifoRight midfielder
- 11JCJan CeulemansCentral midfielder
- 13GGGeorges GrünCentre-back
- 16NCNico ClaesenCentre-forward
- 18DVDaniel VeytCentre-forward
- 21SDStéphane DemolSW
- 22PVPatrick VervoortLeft-back
Portraits may show a later team kit. Starting positions are schematic; unused substitutes are not included. © 2023 Joshua C. Fjelstul, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0. Names and match IDs adapted.
Passing network
Argentina
Belgium
Completed passes · both teams attack upwards
Activity zones
Argentina
6%11%5%19%27%9%7%13%3%
Belgium
10%7%5%15%21%8%11%20%4%
Attacking upwards · rounded shares
Match officials
RefereeAntonio Márquez Ramírez
Team comparison
ArgentinaBelgium
53.9%Possession sequences46.1%
18Shots21
6On target3
1.82Expected goals (xG)1.03
452Passes395
84.1%Pass accuracy77.2%
13Corners7
12Fouls21
Expected goals race
Chance quality as it accumulated. Each step is a shot.
A goal marker sits on the line at each recorded goal. Shootout penalties are excluded — they are not part of the match's expected goals.
Shot quality
1.82Argentina1.03Belgium
1.82Total xG1.03
1.82Non-penalty xG1.03
0.10xG per shot0.05
6Shots on target3
Where the shots came from
Bubble size is the chance's expected-goals value. Filled bubbles are goals.
Argentina2 goals · 18 shots · 1.82 xG
Belgium0 goals · 21 shots · 1.03 xG
Passing network
Argentina
Belgium
Completed passes · both teams attack upwards
Activity zones
Argentina
6%11%5%19%27%9%7%13%3%
Belgium
10%7%5%15%21%8%11%20%4%
Attacking upwards · rounded shares
Attacking
2Goals0
18Shots21
6On target3
17Dribble attempts11
Passing
452Pass attempts395
380Completed passes305
84.1%Pass accuracy77.2%
13Corners7
Defending
18Duels23
14Interceptions9
90Pressures125
12Fouls21
Leading performers
Recorded match actionsDM
Diego MaradonaArgentina2Goals0Assists0.87xG
FV
Franky VercauterenBelgium0Goals0Assists0.62xG
JV
Jorge ValdanoArgentina0Goals0Assists0.47xG
JB
Jorge BurruchagaArgentina0Goals1Assists0.20xG
HE
Héctor EnriqueArgentina0Goals0Assists0.15xG
Argentina
3-5-2| Player | G | A | Shots | Key passes | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DM Diego MaradonaStarter | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.87 |
JV Jorge ValdanoStarter | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0.47 |
JB Jorge BurruchagaStarter | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0.20 |
HE Héctor EnriqueStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.15 |
JO Julio OlarticoecheaStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.08 |
JL José Luis BrownStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.05 |
SB Sergio BatistaStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
RG Ricardo GiustiStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
OR Oscar RuggeriStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
JL José Luis CuciuffoStarter | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
NP Nery PumpidoStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Belgium
3-5-2| Player | G | A | Shots | Key passes | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FV Franky VercauterenStarter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.62 |
JC Jan CeulemansStarter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.10 |
ES Enzo ScifoStarter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.10 |
PD Philippe DesmetSubstitute | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.09 |
GG Georges GrünStarter | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.06 |
PV Patrick VervoortStarter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.03 |
SD Stéphane DemolStarter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.02 |
EG Eric GeretsStarter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.01 |
JP Jean-Marie PfaffStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
MR Michel RenquinStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
NC Nico ClaesenStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
DV Daniel VeytStarter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
Performance is shown through recorded statistics. This data source does not provide a player rating or a player-of-the-match award.
Decisive moments
2 eventsPath through 1986
Full tournamentMatch details
Verified record- Round
- Semi-final
- Stage
- Semi-final
- Date
- 1986-06-25
- Venue
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Result
- 2–0
- Coverage
- Score, result and scorers; lineup-derived records available; full lineups, expected goals and shot locations
Scorers
Argentina / BelgiumArgentina
Diego Maradona51′
Diego Maradona63′
Belgium
No goals
Data by
StatsBomb
StatsBombExpected goals and event analysis use StatsBomb definitions. Goal, card and substitution timelines use Fjelstul records.
Source: OpenFootball at the pinned revision. Missing assists and minute-level events are not estimated. Lineups, expected goals and shot locations on this page come from StatsBomb event data.