If Argentina’s run to the final can be described with one fact, it’s this one— La Albiceleste has not led going into the 90th minute in any of its knockout stage matches.
With two comeback wins and two extra-time victories, Argentina’s run to the World Cup final has been unlike anything seen before. Four of its last seven World Cup knockout stage matches have gone to extra-time, with two coming this tournament.
Lionel Messi & Co. will face Spain on Sunday at 3 p.m. EST at New York New Jersey Stadium on FOX.
This matchup will be the first time the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in FIFA’s rankings have met in the final (since rankings were introduced in 1992).
It will also be the first ever World Cup final between the reigning European champions, and the reigning Copa América champions.
So how did Argentina get here? Just how improbable has its World Cup run been? Let’s dive in.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Behind Lionel Messi’s first career World Cup hat trick, Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win over Algeria in its opener.
- Messi recorded his first hat trick at a World Cup, and the fifth ever hat trick for Argentina at a World Cup.
- Messi became the oldest player ever to record a hat trick in a World Cup match at 38 years, 357 days old; he passed Cristiano Ronaldo, who held the record, who scored a hat trick vs. Spain in 2018 at 33 years old.
- Messi became the second man to score in five different World Cups, joining Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Messi now holds the record as Argentina’s youngest and oldest goalscorer at a World Cup (he scored at 18 years old in 2006, and scored at 38 years vs. Algeria).
Depois de perder um pênalti no início da partida, Messi se redimiu com mais dois gols na vitória da Argentina por 2 a 0 sobre a Áustria para fechar o Grupo J.
- Lionel Messi scored two goals to become the first man or woman to reach 18 career goals at the World Cup.
- After this match, Messi became the second player ever to score four or more goals in three different men’s World Cups (Miroslav Klose).
Já tendo conquistado o Grupo J, a Argentina misturou a escalação com vários novos titulares na final do grupo contra a Jordânia. Giovani Lo Celso marcou o primeiro gol não-Messi pela Argentina neste verão, enquanto Lautaro Martínez marcou outro. Depois, após uma substituição, o brilhantismo de Messi voltou a ficar à mostra, ao marcar um belo gol de falta, marcando seu sexto gol na fase de grupos.
- Argentina scored two free kicks in this game, putting their total to five since tracked in 1966; that is tied for the second-most with South Korea at five, and only trails Brazil (12).
- Messi scored his lone goal on a free kick, giving him two direct free-kick goals in his World Cup career, the sixth player to reach that mark since 1966 (Pelé, Rivellino, Téofilo Cubillas, Bernard Genghini, David Beckham).
- Lionel Messi extended his record for the most World Cup goals by a man or woman ever (19).
- Messi set the record for the most consecutive World Cup games with a goal at seven.
A Argentina completou uma das maiores reviravoltas da história da Copa do Mundo contra o Egito nas oitavas de final (Foto de Elsa/Getty Images).
Nas oitavas de final, a Argentina sobreviveu por pouco ao que teria sido uma das maiores surpresas da história da Copa do Mundo. Cabo Verde, um país com uma população de aproximadamente 529 mil pessoas, levou os atuais campeões da Copa do Mundo para a prorrogação.
Depois de o golo de Messi, aos 29 minutos, ter colocado a Argentina na frente, Cabo Verde respondeu aos 59 minutos para forçar acréscimos. Então, depois que a Argentina voltou a liderar aos 92 minutos, Sidny Lopes Cabral marcou o gol do torneio para empatar mais uma vez para os Blue Sharks. À medida que os pênaltis se aproximavam, um autogolo de Cabo Verde deu o golo da vitória que permitiu à Argentina apurar-se.
Se Cabo Verde tivesse avançado, teria sido a maior reviravolta em uma partida da fase eliminatória pelo ranking da FIFA na história da Copa do Mundo; Cabo Verde ficou em 67º lugar, enquanto a Argentina ficou em primeiro lugar (diferença de 66 lugares).
- Argentina scored two or more goals in 10 straight World Cup games, the longest such streak since West Germany scored in nine straight from 1966-1970.
- Lionel Messi became the first man or woman to score 20 career goals at the World Cup
- Vozinha finished the World Cup with two clean sheets, becoming the third goalkeeper in World Cup history to record two clean sheets at age 40 or older (Peter Shilton, Dino Zoff).
Por quase 80 minutos, parecia que os atuais campeões estavam voltando para casa.
A Argentina perdia para o Egito por 2 a 0 aos 79 minutos da partida das oitavas de final, antes de marcar três gols em um impressionante intervalo de 13 minutos para completar uma das maiores reviravoltas da história da Copa do Mundo.
O Egito assumiu a liderança aos 15 minutos, marcando a primeira vez que a Argentina perdia em uma partida da Copa do Mundo desde o jogo de abertura do torneio de 2022, contra a Arábia Saudita. Os faraós aumentaram a vantagem aos 67 minutos, deixando a Argentina à beira da eliminação.
Então tudo mudou. Cristian Romero deu a reviravolta aos 79 minutos, convertendo uma assistência de Messi para reduzir a desvantagem para 2-1. Apenas quatro minutos depois, o próprio Messi marcou o empate. Depois, nos acréscimos, Enzo Fernández completou o milagre, marcando aos 92 minutos para selar uma improvável vitória por 3-2.
- According to Opta’s win probability model, Argentina’s chances of winning the match in regulation were 0.6% entering the 78th minute— just moments before Romero made it 2-1.
- This was the first time ever that Argentina came back from a two-goal deficit to win a match at the World Cup.
- Argentina became the first team to win a World Cup match in regular time after still trailing by two goals in the 78th minute, and just the second overall after Belgium against Senegal earlier in this tournament.
- Messi scored and assisted in this match, the fifth time he’s done that in a World Cup match; no other player has more than three such matches since assists were first tracked in 1966.
- Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout stage matches.
- Messi became the first and only player to register an assist in six different World Cups.
Nas quartas de final, após gol madrugador de Alexis Mac Allister aos 10 minutos, a Albiceleste parecia estar caminhando para uma vitória fácil. Depois, o suíço Dan Ndoye empatou aos 67 minutos. No entanto, justamente quando todo o ímpeto mudou para a Suíça, Breel Embolo foi expulso momentos depois, após receber o segundo cartão amarelo.
A partida estava empatada em 1 a 1 aos 111 minutosaté que Julián Alvarez marcou um dos melhores gols do torneio para dar a liderança à Argentina. Lautaro Martínez marcaria o terceiro aos 120 (+1), colocando o prego no caixão.
- Argentina reached consecutive World Cup semifinals for the second time ever, last doing so in 1986 and 1990.
- Four of Julián Alvarez’s five career World Cup goals have been scored in the knockout rounds, tied with Diego Maradona for the second-most by an Argentinian player behind only Lionel Messi (seven).
- Embolo became the fourth player since 1966 to receive a yellow card for simulation (Francesco Totti in 2002, Luis Pérez in 2006, Asamoah Gyan in 2006).
Depois de desistir do gol aos 55 minutos, a Argentina voltou a perder. Mas faltando cinco minutos para o fim do tempo regulamentar, Messi salvou o dia mais uma vez – encontrando Enzo Fernández para o gol do empate. Sete minutos depois, ele encontrou Martínez como o vencedor do jogo.
- According to Opta’s win probability model, Argentina had only a 1.3% chance of winning the game within 90 minutes in the 84th minute, immediately before Fernández scored.
- With goals in the 85th and 90th (+2) minutes in this match, Argentina has now scored eight goals after the 85th minute (including extra time) in this World Cup— a record for a national team in a single edition in the tournament’s history.
- Argentina made its seventh World Cup final, which ties Brazil for second-most all-time (Germany has made eight).
- Argentina became the first team since Brazil in 1998 to enter the World Cup ranked No. 1 in the FIFA rankings and then make the final.
- Argentina has won a team-record 14 straight games, is unbeaten in a team-record 13 straight World Cup games (11 wins) and has won seven straight World Cup matches for the first time.
- Argentina has now recorded multiple goals in 13 straight World Cup games, extending its own record; La Albiceleste also became the only team to score at least two goals in all seven matches at this World Cup.
- Lionel Messi had two assists in this match; he has now scored or assisted in 11 straight World Cup matches, the longest streak on record (since 1966).
