The World Cup final at MetLife Stadium is finally set. Argentina will battle Spain for the title on Sunday, July 19.
After Spain’s win over France Tuesday, Argentina punched its ticket to its second straight World Cup final by erasing a late one-goal deficit against England. It’s the first final between two Spanish-speaking teams since the inaugural tournament in 1930.
Now, Argentina has the chance to win back-to-back titles for just the third time in World Cup history and the first in over 60 years.
Here’s everything to know about Argentina before Sunday’s final at MetLife:
How Argentina reached World Cup Final
Argentina cruised through the group stage, winning all three matches by a combined score of 8-1 and easily snagging first place in Group J.
The knockout rounds have been an absolute gauntlet, though. First, Argentina overcame constant punches by Cape Verde in the Round of 32, winning 3-2 on an 111th-minute own goal. It then knocked off Egypt, but not without more fireworks — three goals past the 79th minute after falling down 2-0.
Argentina also needed extra time to defeat Switzerland, 3-1, in the quarterfinals, a game that was tied 1-1 until the 112th frame. Then, there was Wednesday’s semifinal, where two late goals again proved to be the difference in Argentina’s 2-1 win.
Argentina's comeback victory over England
Argentina found itself in a familiar place versus England — trailing late in the second half. England took a 1-0 lead with Anthony Gordon’s score in the 55th minute and parked the bus for the remainder of the half.
Big mistake. Argentina remained on the attack for much of the game’s final minutes and eventually broke England’s wall. First, Enzo Fernández booted a long strike into the top left corner before Lautaro Martínez headed in a cross. Both scores came off feeds from Lionel Messi.
The goals were Argentina’s 11th and 12th after the 75th minute in this tournament, an insane statistic.
Meanwhile, Argentina held England strikers Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to zero goals, after both had run wild against nearly every other opponent they’d faced.
Argentina's World Cup history
Argentina is no stranger to this stage — this will be its seventh World Cup finals appearance. It’s won it all in 1978, 1986 and 2022, as well as been runner-ups in 1930, 1990 and 2014.
Before its victory in 2022, though, Argentina endured decades of heartbreak, failing to advance past the quarterfinals from 1994-2010. In 2018, it was also eliminated in the Round of 16 by France.
Now, Argentina seeks back-to-back titles. In 2022, the win came via a high-scoring affair. A 3-3 draw after extra time led to a 4-2 victory in penalty kicks. Against a Spain team that’s allowed only one goal across the entire tournament, we might be in for a completely different match.
Lionel Messi is Argentina's player to watch
There’s not much of a decision here. Keep your eyes locked on No. 10 in blue. This is likely Messi’s final World Cup game, and he could go out with a bang with a second straight title.
Even more, Messi can solidify his first Golden Boot with a goal or two versus Spain. He’s currently tied atop the leaderboard with France’s Kylian Mbappé, who plays England Saturday in the third-place match. Kane and Bellingham are also within striking distance at six goals apiece.
Messi has made his last dance one to remember, recording at least one point in every match and scoring in five of seven. He even had a hat trick against Algeria in the group stage.
What song do Argentina fans sing during games?
Argentinian fans are some of the most lively at matches. They often belt the song “La Cumbia de los Trapos” by Yerba Brava, which was also a staple in 2022. Like England with “Wonderwall” and the United States with “Country Roads,” players and fans sing the song together after games.
The word “trapos” in the song’s title refers to the large banners and flags Argentina’s fans wave proudly during games.
In 2022, “Muchachos” mainly served as Argentina’s anthem, and it can still be heard in the stadium and at fan gatherings. But this time around, “La Cumbia de los Trapos” has become fans’ go-to.
Source: NorthJersey.com
