A month ago the Argentine national team faced France to be able to remove that thorn that he dragged for so long since that conquest in Mexico in 1986. That wait, especially for Lionel Messi captain of the Argentine team, after 36 years and having lost in the previous final against Germany, came to an end after an infant definition against the defending champion.
Speaking of the captain, Messi it emerged once again that he is an outstanding playerthat for the luck of the Argentines played a world Cup with an excellent level and with a hunger for glory that will be evident every time the 10 grabbed the ball. Scorer for the national team scoring seven goals throughout the competition, shouting two of them no less than in the final against France to be crowned, the Rosario was the director of an orchestra that responded to the height of the circumstances.
It was a game that had all the seasonings to avoid suffering for what had been the first 80 minutes of the team from scaloni. It was absolute dominance against a team as assured as France despite the absence of some weights such as Paul Pogba and N’golo Kanté. Closing a first stage bordering on perfection, Argentina went to the locker room winning 2-0 and giving a true sample of football in all sectors. Firm on the bottom line, with well-oiled ball circuits in the middle and forceful attack closed what can be called one of the best performances in a World Cup final.
In the complement, far from lifting the foot of the accelerator, the selection went for more. In this case, without having the same efficiency as in the first half, they did not allow those led by Scaloni to increase the advantage, something that surprisingly when it seemed that the curtain of the game was going down ended up paying dearly. in a flurry France tied the game with two goals from Kylian Mbappé, his stellar figure and at the same time a player on whom he will have a certain dependency in recent times. Thus, bringing the entire hierarchy of him to light, the PSG striker was in charge of stretching the definition to extra time.
The feeling must have passed through the heads of the bulk of the Argentine fans that France would be a steamroller in extra time, clinging to the envoy of spirit that means scoring two goals in less than ten minutes and tying a final that seemed lost. Despite that negative thought, Argentina he stuck out his chest again at a critical moment and largely dominated the overtime action. Being careless at times, both teams served the rival chances to get up on the scoreboard on a platter.
Who struck first was Argentina. With a goal that had its sacred cry tied to suspense due to the possibility of an alleged offside and in doubt as to whether the ball that hit Messi completely crossed the line of Hugo Lloris’s goal. To return the soul to the body of the Argentine supporters, the goal from Rosario was legitimate in all angles, Lautaro Martínez, who participated in the play, was enabled by Raphael Varane and finally Messi’s shot entered the goal to cling once again to the illusion that the championship was near.
Another bucket of cold water appeared at the feet of the French 10. Like the discount, Mbappé beat “Dibu” Martínez through the twelve steps after Gonzalo Montiel was charged for a hand in his eagerness to cover a shot that sought to endanger the albiceleste goal. From then on, the nerves in both teams took center stage. Rare errors in players of this caliber logically appeared at a time in the game when the ball was burning. France had a very clear chance that before the watchful eye of the fans was a goal, but finally had another heroic intervention by the Argentine goalkeeper, the angel under the three sticks who defended the Argentine shirt, stopping Randal Kolo Muani’s point-blank shot.
Immediately, against that French attack, Argentina threaded a beautiful play that ended with the cross at the head of Lautaro Martínez who deflected his delivery too wide, when Enzo Fernández entered alone, stepping on the penalty mark. Thus, everything indicated that fate had prepared the definition in the penalty shootout.
In the definition from the twelve steps who once again enlarged his figure was the “Dibu” Martinez. As in the shootout against the Netherlands where he saved two shots, the goalkeeper born in Mar del Plata put on the hero’s cape to contribute his enormous grain of sand in the Argentine conquest. He stopped the second shot by Coman, the footballer who entered the second half and left many headaches. Then taking advantage of the effectiveness of his teammates, in the Gauls’ next shot, Dibu did the impossible to give Tchuameni more nerves before his penalty. The psychological game of the Aston Villa goalkeeper surpasses perfection, since the French midfielder deflected his shot to bring Argentina one step closer to his mission.
To amend his mistake, the one who took charge of the last penalty that meant nothing more and nothing less than the world championship was Gonzalo Montiel. Proving to be an expert when it comes to shots from twelve steps, especially for many who did not follow the former River closely in this matter, Montiel crossed his shot when Lloris flew in the opposite direction filling the goal net. Once the Sevilla defender’s shot reached a safe destination, a unique sensation of euphoria, joy, emotion, but also ignorance was suspended in the air, that something dreamed of was happening. After so much suffering, La Escaloneta, with Messi at the head he achieved his fact of shouting nothing less than world champion.
Avoiding the adversity that knocked on Argentina’s door from the first game, the team of lionel scaloni They appeared to be a strong squad, united by the same goal, giving a thumbs down to the critical moments they had to go through. After the defeat against Saudi Arabia in the debut, which raised some doubts, it was not enough to go down to the team of his World Cup dream. From then on they were all final one after the other. The duel with Mexico that is attributed to establish the presence of Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández In the starting eleven it was won with more heart than football, but in the end assigned to add above all from the mental aspect.
With Poland, symptoms appeared of that selected one that the fan got used to winning by liking and being the protagonist. There another stellar presence was present before the doubts in the middle of the Argentine coaching staff due to the loss of Gio Lo Celso. This is Alexis Mac Allister, who, like the two former River youth players, came whistling softly to later be on the cover of all the newspapers. A key piece in the balance of the middle, a new partner for Messi and a nice headache for the future for Scaloni in how to form the middle for what is coming.
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In the round of 16, after recovering in time in the Group Phase to finish first in their group, the rival was Australia. From the start we go a rival that any other qualifier would have chosen to have as an opponent. Argentina dominated the actions following the logical difference between one team and another. The result fell a bit short, applying some suspense in the final stretch with the discount of the oceans, but in the end it was a little scare. in quarters of appearance Netherlandsan old acquaintance who brought back good memories of Brazil 2014. Following the definition of the World Cup event in the neighboring country, in Qatar the ticket to the semifinals was sentenced through penalties.
Argentina dominated the actions and it seemed that they took a semifinal in a comfortable way against a difficult rival. Being something of a deja vu, of what would be in the future in the final, Louis Van Gaal’s team tied the game in a flurry of goals. Extending the definition to penalties, the one who called was Dibu who responded by far, recalling the penalties against Colombia that were key in the conquest of the Copa América 2021. In this first decisive definition by penalties, the one who took charge of the last Argentine shot was Lautaro Martinez. The Inter striker who had sown some kind of doubts regarding his level took it upon himself to silence those criticisms by kicking a penalty worthy of a crack. Thus the pass to the semis was sealed.
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In the semifinals, the definition of the matches was completely changed since Argentina won the duel against another tough rival such as Croatia, in a comfortable way without any type of suffering. It is true that Luka Modric’s team imposed the conditions at the beginning, but since Messi’s goal, Argentina headed for a victory without lifting their foot on the accelerator. Thus, almost as if it were just another game, La Scaloneta overcame Croatia 3-0 and entered a new World Cup final after eight years.
In the maximum appointment appearance France, a special duel, with a thirst for revenge for what happened in Russia 2018 and also before the possibility of lowering the reigning champion who wanted to continue making history. With Messi at the helm, supported by an excellent squad that went out of their way in every game, Argentina wrote the script for a film that will remain in the hearts of all Argentines. Leaving France on the way, a month ago, Argentina was deposited on top before the eyes of the world. The first great memory of the world championship that will live for all eternity.
JL
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