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.
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Behind Lionel Messi’s first career World Cup hat trick, Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win over Algeria in its opener.
After missing a penalty kick early in the match, Messi redeemed himself with two more goals in Argentina’s 2-0 win against Austria to clinch Group J.
Having already clinched Group J, Argentina mixed up the lineup with multiple new starters in the group finale vs. Jordan. Giovani Lo Celso scored the first non-Messi goal for Argentina this summer, while Lautaro Martínez added another. Then, after coming on via a substitution, Messi’s brilliance was on full display once again as he scored a beautiful free-kick goal for his sixth goal of the group stage.
Argentina completed one of the biggest comebacks in World Cup history against Egypt in the Round of 16 (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images).
