Argentina is looking towards the World Cup with high hopes and a team that looks to be on the same page. The Albiceleste squad, led by Lionel Messi, beat Italy 3-0 in convincing fashion to take home the Finalissima trophy and seem to be peaking at just the right time considering we’re only a few months away from the biggest tournament in futbol.
The Finalissima – which has only been played three times in history – featured the winners of the previous South American (Copa America) and European championships and was played at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Since their respective 2021 wins in the Copa America and Euro the fortunes of the two teams in the Finalissima couldn’t have been more different. Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, while Argentina easily qualified for a tournament where it’s considered one of the teams to watch.
Recent good fortune doesn’t change the recent, painful history of Argentina, though. Before winning that Copa America last year, the team hadn’t won a major title in 28 years and had at one point lost three consecutive finals in a three-year span – one in the 2014 World Cup, and in 2015 and 2016 at the Copa America.
“Today was a nice test because Italy are a great team.” Man of the Match, Lionel Messi said. “We knew it was going to be a nice game and a nice setting in which to be champions. It was a beautiful final, full of Argentines. What we experienced here was beautiful.”
Now, the National team players will take some time off before League play resumes, and then they will come back together to try to capture that elusive World Cup. Before last year’s Copa America, it still seemed like a pipe dream. Now, with the team clicking on all cylinders and the best player in the world looking comfortable, it’s starting to look more and more possible.
The 2022 Qatar World Cup will be played from November 21st to December 18th.