Play in Group C of the 2006 FIFA World Cup began on 10 June 2006 and ended on 21 June. Argentina won the group and advanced to the round of 16, along with the Netherlands. The two sides tied on points in the standings, but Argentina won the tie-break on goal difference and ended the group in first with the Netherlands in second place. The Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro failed to advance.

The Serbia and Montenegro national football team was a national football team that represented the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. It was controlled by the Football Association of Serbia and Montenegro. For 11 years, it was known as the FR Yugoslavia national football team when the state was called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, until February 2003, when the name of the country was changed to Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006, Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia, with the result that the country's football team was renamed as the Serbia national football team on 28 June 2006 with the Montenegro national football team created to represent the renewed state of Montenegro.