Argentina has been partying since yesterday, when the Argentine National Team Qatar 2022 World Cup champion was crowned and managed to obtain the precious World Cup after 36 years. But the path that the National Team had to go through was not easy at all, they faced very tough rivals, moments worthy of a movie, where it seemed that the Albiceleste team returned home empty-handed. But it was not like that…
PEOPLE reviewed what were the most outstanding moments of Argentina in Qatar.
1- The debut against Saudi Arabia
On November 22 came the debut that seemed to be a dream for the Argentine National Team, it came with 36 games without losing, something it had held since 2019 and was minutes away from equaling Italy’s record of 37 games.
In fact, the team led by Scaloni began by winning the match 1-0, but as soon as the second half of the match began, the Arab team turned the score around and won with a goal from Saleh Al-Shehri and another from Salem Al Dawsari. Since then, Argentina has reached the rival goal several times but has not been able to convert.
Thus losing the undefeated and showing that it was allowed to fall, to then get back up, something that the National Team understood perfectly, much more its captain, Lionel Messi: “Trust that this group is not going to leave you stranded. We are going to look for the two parties, it depends on us. We know that we are obliged”, ensured the 10, who kept his word.
2- Messi’s goal to break zero against Mexico
One of the most tense moments was undoubtedly the match against Mexico in which Argentina was playing for qualification to the round of 16 of the World Cup. At that moment, one foot was already outside and the illusion seemed to be fading… Until at minute 19 of the second half, Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the middle of a game that, until then, had been very tight.
At that moment, the genie rubbed the lamp and made it possible to bring the Selection back to life. A game that cost from the mental but that invited people to believe again. With three minutes to go before closing, Enzo Fernández -who came on from the substitute bench- sealed Argentina’s victory and scored the 2-0 scoreline to show that La Scaloneta was more current than ever.
3- Dibu’s save at the last minute against Australia to go to the quarterfinals
Argentina faced Australia in the round of 16 phase. A game that was initially stuck in the final part of the first half. But, as usual, Lionel Messi appeared to make things easier. With a pass inside the big Australian area he decided to score at the back of the net with a left-footed shot to the goalkeeper’s right post.
But what seemed to be a formality, after Julián Álvarez’s goal, with a quiet 2-0 for Argentina, almost ended in catastrophe. By discounting with a rebound goal, the Australians came close to discounting, but it was Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez, who closed the goal for the National Team at the last minute and prevented the game from going into extra time.
4- The controversial qualification against the Netherlands with Van Gaal as the target
The quarterfinal match against the Netherlands National Team was one of the most complex for the National Team. A game that began with a 2-0 win and that seemed to be more relaxed ended with the albiceleste suffering more and going into extra time with the agonizing goal from the Netherlands in the 55th minute of the second half.
We had to suffer, because that’s what the entire World Cup in Argentina was about and that’s how from the twelve steps, Argentina converted 4 of the 5 penalties and Dibu Martínez saved 2 of 5. The only Argentine penalty that was missed was the fourth (Enzo Fernández kicked it out) and the Netherlands the first two.
But the rivalry between both teams was very tense. In fact, Back Martínez He sent a message to the opponents’ coach. “Could have tackled more”, He said about the penalties. Before the game, the coach of the Netherlands, Louis van Gaalhad said that he saw his team better for penalties, and that the instance could be a rematch of the Brazil 2014 match.
5- The one-on-one and the penalty saved by Dibu against France that gave the National Team the trophy
The epic finally ended well for the Argentine National Team, in a game for the heart attack, the podium was logically given in the final. It is that the electrifying thing that was the meeting did not give respite to anyone. Although Argentina was winning 2-0 calmly, with goals from Messi and Di María, everything became tense when Mbappé scored two goals in two minutes with 10 minutes to go.
The extra time brought more emotion to the game and another goal from Messi in the complementary part made Argentina leads the score by 3-2, but after minutes, Mbappé reappeared with a penalty in favor of France.
Randal Kolo Muani’s shot in the one-on-one with Dibu Martínez was to die for, it didn’t end in a goal because the Argentine goalkeeper was able to clear it as if he were playing handball. Later, eternal glory came.
The penalties defined the champion with a definition for the heart attack in which Argentina managed to convert all their shots. Dibu Martínez established himself as the revelation goalkeeper and best goalkeeper in the World Cupcontributing his talent to achieve this glorious title for the Argentine National Team.
