1986 World Cup winner Diego Maradona believes Argentina can win this year's World Cup.

The coach of La Albiceleste led his side to a 1-0 international friendly win over Germany in Munich on Wednesday and the performance gave him hope that the squad is good enough to emulate the Argentine sides of 1978 and 1986.

"What we showed is that we have a team who can become world champions for the first time in 24 years," he said.

"This game had the character of a World Cup quarter-final and this is the level we were looking for.

"I thank God that Messi is Argentinian. And I will thank God if he can make us world champions again.

"That is what we will go to South Africa to do - become world champions."