The path to glory of the Argentine national team to be champion of the World Cup in Qatar 2022

The Argentina national team He decided to play seven games in Qatar and succeeded. The road, however, began with a giant stone on Tuesday 22 November, when millions of Argentines got up early to watch the debut. But in a column behind the figure of the captain and goalscorer of Qatar, Lionel Messithe champion of America played the following games as finals to be in the definition of the World Cup, the sixth in history.

In a World Cup with so many surprises, such as the elimination of Germany once again in the first round and the appearance of Morocco among the four best teams in the world, so it was the step by step of the magical and glorious 26 days of the The world champion falters in Doha.

22 November: Argentina 1 – Saudi Arabia 2

The first stage of the long-awaited World Cup in Qatar arrived on Tuesday at 7 in the morning from Argentina. There was desire and delusion against the rival -first- weakest in Group C. But they went from euphoria to disbelief as Lionel Scaloni’s team got entangled in Saudi Arabia’s net and suffered a historic blow. To make matters worse, a 1-2 draw marked the end of the match with an unbeaten 36.

In a stadium in Lusail, the largest stadium in the Cup and where the end of the Juventus adventure ended, Messi scored his seventh goal in the World Cup thanks to a penalty booked only by the VAR.

But Arabia has put together a spider-like tactical system. Woven a cloth in which the staggered she was hooked over and over again. And he accompanied it with another tool: the drying up of his last line, which cost the national team three goals that didn’t count for an advanced position.

“We know it’s a very hard blow, a defeat that hurts, but that people trust because this group will not let you down“was Lionel Andrés Messi’s first message to the country.

The 10 would keep its promise.

November 26: Argentina 2 – Mexico 0

​Four days after their debut, Argentina came out to play the first of their six finals in Qatar. There was no margin for error on the horizon if his wish was to keep alive the dream of lifting the World Cup on December 18th..

That’s why Scaloni didn’t tremble and made five variations: he changed three of the four defenders, eliminated his favorite central midfielder (Paredes) and tried Mac Allister for Papu Gómez.

Even if his final eleven found him after a cumbersome first half in which the national team was unable to untie the Mexican knot. Therefore, Enzo Pérez joined a team never to leave again -just like Julián Álvarez- and Messi gave the first sign of a Maradonian rebellion to maintain his World Cup illusion.

“We invite the few who for half an hour forgot three and a half years to get on the ship again”Rodrigo De Paul, the engine of the midfield, vented.

November 30: Poland 0 – Argentina 2

Like a phoenix bird the Selection gave a sample of character to be reborn as a candidate in the last match of the group stage. In the 974 stadium and after the resurrection which meant the victory against Mexico, the 2-0 defeat against Poland represented the rebirth of the staggered in Qatar.

Aware that the complement changes compared to the previous match had worked, Scaloni gave the starting position to Enzo Fernández, who in the game of comparisons with 86 it was Negro Enrique of this World Cupand Julián Álvarez, as well as having Romero and Molina back in defence.

With the two of them on the field, the team took shape as a team. A team that doesn’t have Messi as a savior, but as a brain and a magician, beyond the missed penalty in the first half and which, for a while, brought back bad memories. But Leo didn’t give up.

The 2-0 against Poland, an opponent who canceled from the field and which generated 14 arrivals on goal in the first half alone, was an almost perfect production that allowed us to dream. A devastating first half. An even better second half thanks to Mac Allister’s early goal and Julián’s strength – in what was his first goal in a World Cup – finally helping him breathe.

There was no time, however, for amusement. “Argentina is the only team in the World Cup that plays in less than 72 hours. It’s very strange”remarked Scaloni in the preview of the duel of the round of 16.

3 December: Argentina 2 – Australia 1

The biggest enemy seemed to be fatigue and the past, because four years ago the national team went from Russia to France against France. But there were toppings that added fries to the Argentinian illusion, basically one: give the quarter-final standings to a Messi who has reached his 1000 professional matcheseven if the gift – as almost always – was given on the 10th with an imperial night at the Al Rayyan stadium.

Although the national team had spent 35 minutes without being able to worry Australia, Messi was the owner of one of his best performances in Qatar and scored for the first time in the knockout stage in his 23rd match at the World Cup.

In the second half, Álvarez extended a non-reassuring lead as his rival was discounted by an unfortunate rebound from Enzo Pérez and Dibu Martínez had to act to avoid the final scare.

“Before arriving we were among the candidates and we had to prove it on the field. We took another small step”Messi announced. Holland was coming, a match that was played on and off the pitch.

December 9: Netherlands 2 (3) – Argentina 2 (4)

The long rest has brought with it a rumor that hit hard inside the goals: the alleged injury of Rodrigo De Paulwhose participation was questioned until a few hours before the quarter-final duel. “We train behind closed doors and I don’t know where this information comes from. I don’t know if we play for Argentina or for the Netherlands (sic)”Scaloni was irritated in the previous press conference.

With 65 minutes of De Paul and without Di María, Argentina finally entered the semifinals thanks to a huge Dibu Martínez on penalties because the distractions in the last ten minutes of the 90s and in the ten minutes of added time allowed by the Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz were too great a punishment.

Is that Argentina won 2-0, once again at the hands of a masterful Messi, who put together a great action to enable Nahuel Molina (author of his first goal for the national team) and then executed the penalty which celebrated to Topo Gigio in front of Van Gaal. But Weghorst’s brace led to extra time and penalties, where He pulled out his ticket to Croatia, which had been loaded into Brazil the same day.

On his hottest night, against Van Gaal, the referee and everything that stood in the way of his World Cup illusion, Messi has become a meme, a WhatsApp sticker and a T-shirt when he told Wout Weghorst in the dressing room tunnel “What are you looking at, fool? Go over there”.

13 December: Argentina 3 – Croatia 0

The first goal by staggered It had already been achieved: to be in the top four and play seven games. But the sixth step was not one more, less later the world press told those Argentine players that they didn’t know how to win because of their celebrations against the Dutch. “We must have some pride”Scaloni replied in the preview of the duel with Croatia.

With a still magical Messi and a lethal Julián ÁlvarezArgentina solved a game that seemed long, with two knockout hands in the first half and a genius from Leo in the second to crush an opponent who arrived undefeated and who had shown his credentials as a World Cup Finalist in the first half hour.

In addition to giving Argentina a place in the final, the game served to confirm it Qatar is Messi’s World Cup. His best World Cup, the fifth, surpassing all the records he had in front of him -against Croatia he overtook Batistuta as top scorer of the World Cup, with 11- and leading the national team like never before. And beyond any comparison.

“I want to enjoy my last match in a World Cup”warned before France, and thus gripped the hearts of all who retained the illusion of seeing him in three and a half years.

December 18: Argentina 3 (4) – France 3 (2)

The moment of truth had arrived staggeredthat team that started criticized why some believed their manager did not have what it takes to fill that position. Four years later, the champion of America seized the opportunity he had built to become world champion.

After a first half in which he obliterated France from the field and went 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Lionel Messi -from a penalty- and Ángel Di María, the man with the goals in the finals.

However, Argentina would suffer to celebrate. With ten minutes to go, a brace from Kylian Mbappé (one from a penalty) took the game into extra time. There, a new goal from Messi brought the national team within a shot of the title, but another goal from the French crack in the 118th minute took them to the definition on penalties as against the Netherlands.

Dibu Martínez once again narrowed the goal as France missed two penalties and goals from Messi, Dybala, Paredes and Montiel ensured Argentina were champions again after 38 years.

“I like the national team and I want a few more games as a world champion”announced the best player in the world, the one who kept the promise of November 22nd and gave the cup to all Argentines.