Jorge Sampaoli likes challenges, which is just as well.

Where soccer is concerned, it doesn't get any tougher than taking on Brazil, no matter how many superstars and big names you have in your team.

That is the task the 57-year-old faces when he takes charge of Argentina for the first time at the MCG on Friday night.

It's not a location at which the Argentinian would have expected to make his bow, had he thought about his job prospects with the national team a few months ago.

He would certainly not have imagined taking on his nation's biggest soccer rivals in a far-off land where most Argentine sports fans would be more familiar with the Wallabies, regular rugby opponents of the Pumas, than the Socceroos, who will play the Brazilians at the same ground four days later.

But that's the way the dice have fallen for Sampaoli, who replaced sacked boss Edgardo Bauza last month. 

The latter paid the price for a lacklustre World Cup qualifying campaign, in which Argentina, despite boasting the gargantuan talents of Lionel Messi and superstars such as Juventus pair Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala, are languishing in fifth place in their 10-nation group.

Upheaval has been the motif for the Argentine national team in the three years since they lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final at Rio's Maracana Stadium.

Sampaoli is the third coach the team has had. Bauza had replaced the man who kicked off the qualifying competition in charge, Geraldo Martino.

The new man comes with impressive credentials, although he has never had a job in Argentina.

Forced to retire from playing after serious leg injuries as a 19-year-old, Sampaoli coached clubs in Peru, Ecuador and Chile before making his mark as coach of the Chilean national team, which offered him the job after he had won the Copa Sudamerica with Santiago club Universidad de Chile in 2011.

He was in charge of the Chile side that defeated Australia 3-1 in both countries' opening game of the 2014 World Cup, and while Chile were unlucky to lose to Brazil on penalties in the round of 16, they made amends the following year when Sampaoli led them to the Copa America, the international championship of South America.

That triumph brought him job offers in Europe and he took the reins at Sevilla, the La Liga club.

Under Sampaoli, the Andalusians finished fourth, their highest position in seven seasons, and, more famously, ended the 40-game unbeaten run of Real Madrid when they defeated the European champions 2-1 in a January league match.

Sampaoli is a disciple of another Argentinian coach, Marcelo Bielsa, whose teams are characterised by an energetic, high pressing style. They try to play in the opponent's half, defending from the front, and move the ball quickly.

This game might be designated a friendly, but it will be anything but for the Argentinians and their coach, who will use it to create the tactical template he wants to employ as he looks to turn around their World Cup qualification program.

Argentina are one point behind Chile and Uruguay and two adrift of Colombia with four matches to go. Brazil, with 33 points, have already wrapped up qualification.

The Albicelestes will face Uruguay, their other traditional South American rivals, on August 31.