The Americas celebrate soccer. Argentina won the World Cup for the third time this Sunday by defeating France by 4-2 on penalties at the Icónico de Lusail stadium in Qatar, after a thrilling 3-3 draw registered during the 90 minutes plus the extra time.
The white-and-blues added its third crown after 1978 and 1986, and the tenth for South America in the 22 editions. In the past, Uruguay celebrated in 1930 and 1950, and the always-powerful Brazil brought glory in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
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The South American triumph in the Middle East started to grow stronger with the scores by Lionel Messi –who won the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament–, on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute and by Ángel di María in the 35th minute making an early 2-0 win.
The lead crumbled in a short time during the final minutes with a brace from striker Kilian Mbappé: with a penalty kick in the 80th minute and a minute later with a blinding shot forcing extra time.
In his fifth World Cup, the man from Rosario, Lionel Messi, got to lift the desired cup. In Qatar, he scored in six of Argentina's seven matches (photo: FIFA)
DRAMA AND EXCITEMENT FROM THE PENALTY VIEW
Extra-time took the excitement to the extreme: Messi settled the 3-2 in the 108th minute; then again, in the 117th minute, Mbappé, the player who has scored the most goals in a World Cup definition, placed the 3-3 that forced the drama of the definition from 11 meters. Argentina was more efficient and settled the shootout by 4-2. Messi, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, and an unexpected hero, Gonzalo Montiel, gave the glory to the team led by the rookie coach Lionel Scaloni.
For the French, only Mbappé –once again– and Randal Kolo Muani scored, but the mistakes of Kingsley Coman and Aurélien Tchouaméni buried the aspirations of the “bleus” of repeating the triumph at Rusia 2018.
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In this way, Argentina has updated its position as one of the soccer powers with its third star and, at the same time, brought the cup back to South America after 20 years in the preview of what will be the next World Cup in the continent at Canada-United States-Mexico 2026.
10 SOUTH AMERICAN TITLES IN THE WORLD CUP
Uruguay 1930: Uruguay
Brazil 1950: Uruguay
Sweden 1958: Brazil
Chile 1962: Brazil
Mexico 1970: Brazil
Argentina 1978: Argentina
Mexico 1986: Argentina
United States 1994: Brazil
South Korea-Japan 2002: Brazil
Qatar 2022: Argentina.
THE CAMPAIGN: FROM DEBUT FAILURE TO ETERNAL GLORY
GROUP PHASE
Date 1: 1-2 vs. Arabia Saudita (Lionel Messi)
Date 2: 2-0 vs. Mexico (Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández)
Date 3: 2-1 vs. Poland (Alexis Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez)
PLAYOFFS
Round of 16: 2-1 vs. Australia (Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez)
Quarter-finals: 2-2 (4-3 in penalties) vs. Netherlands (Nahuel Molina and Lionel Messi)
Semi-finals: 3-0 vs. Croatia (Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez x 2)
Final: 3-3 (4-2 in penalties) vs. France (Lionel Messi x 2, Ángel di María)
THE THIRD STAR TEAM
With 7 matches: Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernández, Lionel Messi, and Julián Álvarez.
With 6 matches: Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico, Alexis Mac Allister, and Lautaro Martínez.
With 5 matches: Lisandro Martínez, Leandro Paredes, and Ángel di María.
With 4 matches: Gonzalo Montiel.
With 3 matches: Germán Pezzella, and Exequiel Palacios.
With 2 matches: Alejandro Gómez, and Paulo Dybala.
With 1 match: Juan Foyth, Guido Rodríguez, Thiago Almada, and Ángel Correa.
No participation: Franco Armani, and Gerónimo Rulli.
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