Who did Argentina play the last time Nigeria failed to qualify for a World Cup?

For Argentina, playing Nigeria in the group stages of a FIFA World Cup had become a birthright, and for Nigeria, the same had been the case.

The pairing - the most played fixture involving an African team at the World Cup - has seen both nations clash in 1994, 2002, 2010, 2014, and the 2018 World Cups: each producing an Argentine win.

The 2022 competition will, however, be different as the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on away goals (1-1 on aggregate), after being held to a 1-1 draw by Ghana in their second-leg playoff qualifier.

It will be the first time since the 2006 World Cup that Nigeria has failed to qualify for the quadrennial competition.

In 2006, Argentina was drawn alongside Cote d'Ivoire: the African team in their group, Serbia and Montenegro, and the Netherlands.

The Elephants were the first African team Argentina had met other than Nigeria after they failed to get drawn with any at the 1998 World Cup. 

The group C opener with Cote d'Ivoire, had the likes of Gabriel Heinze, Esteban Cambiasso, Juan Riquelme lineup for Argentina, while Didier Zokora, Emmanuel Eboue, and the Toure brothers all made Cote d'Ivoire's starting XI.

The game saw Argentina come off 2-1 winners as first-half goals from Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola were enough to see Didier Drogba's late goal mean nothing.

In their remaining group games, La Albiceleste faced Serbia and Montenegro, as well as the Netherlands, and finished first with seven points.

Before getting knocked out at the hands of hosts Germany in the quarter-finals, they first, defeated Mexico 2-1 (after extra time) in the round of 16.

Since then, it's been an Argentina-Nigeria love-hate affair in the group stages of 2010, 2014 and the 2018 World Cups.

But with Nigeria missing out on the 2022 party in Qatar, Argentina will be forced to look for inspiration elsewhere.