There are moments that leave an imprint on the memories of an era.
Those golden pages are written by men,
sportsmen who must make decisions,
that will shape their lives and our lives
forever.
In the hell of defeat
as well as in the glory of triumph,
Gonzalo Montiel
reaches that crossroad.
This penalty
is the dream of every young player
who started playing in sandlots,
in the neighborhood, in the street, on the pavement,
in small towns.
This is Montiel.
In front of the people who pack the stadium
and before the eyes of 15 billion people
who are watching that moment in real time,
Lionel Messi
and a whole country behind him,
pray together.
SOCCER SOUL
In a far corner of the world,
where desert meets the sea,
there is a nation
with a bold vision and an unbreakable spirit.
Qatar,
land of contrasts and ancient traditions,
has been chosen to host the 22nd edition of the World Cup,
an event that transcends national boundaries
and brings all nations together
in an embrace full of passion and fair play.
With the vision of a world united through soccer,
Qatar invested on cutting-edge stadiums
that challenge the limits of architecture and sustainability.
Each arena is a tribute to the greatness of humanity
and a testimony of the power of sports to inspire future generations.
Qatar anxiously anticipates
the arrival of teams and fans from every corner of the globe.
Come on, Argentina
We're here to support you
To become champions
Today we must win
Maradona is marked by two men. He controls the ball.
The world soccer genius starts from the right side.
In soccer Olympus,
where heroes rise and legends are forged,
there emerges the legacy of eternal Diego Armando Maradona,
whose wild spirit and brilliance on the pitch
left an indelible footprint
on the history of sports
and on all of us.
Argentina!
Today, another titan inhabits the epicenter of soccer passion.
In each dribble,
in each goal,
Messi embraces Diego's spirit,
the love for the white-and-sky-blue jersey
and the unwavering desire
to win the World Cup.
The first matches
have a disadvantage over the others. The emotional load is different.
What matters is to succeed
regardless of how, but the first match is important.
That morning
was like any other. I drank mate as usual
with my mates.
We were very excited. The day had come.
We'd been preparing for it for a long time.
And the desire for it to come
starts to eat you up.
The problem is when you're there, when the whistle blows.
Then it dawns on you.
Messi gets ready to face what could be his last battle in the World Cup.
But this time, he carries a weight even heavier than any trophy,
the karma of previous World Cups.
Schürrle crosses the ball. Götze.
Ladies and gentlemen, goal for Germany.
The memories of missed opportunities,
of adverse finals,
remain in his mind
and in the mind of a whole country who hopes for victory.
Outside.
Leo kicks it outside.
Leo cries.
There are no words.
Of course.
While history develops,
we know that the heart of our country
beats in unison with his,
chasing that dream
he so deserves.
Ladies and gentlemen, Saudi Arabia is about to kick off.
The World Cup is here. Go after our dream, Argentina.
Soccer is the most practiced sport worldwide.
Winning the World Cup is the highest aspiration
for a professional player.
Exceptionally, a player stands out from the rest.
In Qatar, that player is Lionel Andrés Messi,
Argentina's captain.
On November 22, 2022,
at the Lusail Stadium,
Messi starts playing his fifth World Cup.
The first-time coach Lionel Scaloni
has earned respect in a brief period
based on his good management and remarkable results.
Scaloni formed his squad around Messi
and has gathered the leaders of the old guard
together with a generation of young prodigies
who are worthy carriers of the DNA of Argentine soccer
and who have grit and talent to undertake the mission,
give it all for the team
and for our captain.
Messi kicks!
The goalie stops it. Our dear Messi!
Argentina arrives as the top candidate at this match against Saudi Arabia,
with a long-standing streak of 36 matches without facing defeat.
Argentina's awarded a penalty at minute eight.
Messi shoots.
Messi!
Goal!
Goal for Argentina! Argentina scores!
Argentina!
But nobody, not even their rival,
imagines that this match will have a historic ending.
The first match was a nightmare.
In the first half, we could've scored four goals.
There were several offside positions by a millimeter.
Here's Gómez.
He passes it to Messi. It's not an easy one.
Messi for the second goal. Goal!
Messi scores his second goal,
but it's ruled out for offside.
Great pass to Lautaro.
Lautaro Martínez. Lautaro kicks! Goal!
Lautaro Martínez,
the Inter Milan's top goal scorer,
desperately tries to score his goal.
Lautaro is on the same line.
-It's a matter of centimeters. -Millimeters.
In the half-time,
we were like, "Let's keep the same game." We were up 1-0.
We were doing fine.
We could've finished them.
Let's keep the same game.
They scored two goals in six or seven minutes.
A long pass.
Careful. Romero marks him.
He kicks it across. Goal for Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia scores.
A great shot by Saleh.
He barely kicked the ball in the first goal.
It passed between Romero, my finger and the post.
Only five minutes after the tie,
Saudi player Al-Dawsari silences the Argentine fans
when he scores what could be the goal of his life.
The ball keeps rolling. The Arabs keep pushing.
He shoots!
Allah!
The shot is unstoppable.
In the second goal, I could've done a bit better.
I took a sort of lateral step.
I should've moved straighter. My hand got bent.
A fantastic goal.
A magnificent goal.
Yes! Nothing is impossible for the Arabs!
For me, it was like a bucket of cold water.
My confidence shattered.
I didn't want to receive more balls. I was in shock.
It was my World Cup debut,
my first match with the team, and it wasn't going well.
They stayed in the defensive third.
We began speeding up. We were anxious.
And they defeated us.
This is Messi!
The goalie stops it!
Ladies and gentlemen, end of the match!
Saudi Arabia strikes a blow in the World Cup.
They've made history.
A big shock to Argentina.
Now more than ever, more than ever, let's believe.
I was about two days asking myself why.
And what's hard about this, and life in general,
is not finding answers, you know?
Answers to those questions.
And that situation makes you doubt.
It makes you feel uncertain and anxious.
The changing room was like a cemetery.
You could hear the boots on the floor,
the kit man picking up the boots and taking them away.
You could hear every move. Nobody talked.
A complete silence.
I noticed that Dibu was feeling bad too.
I'd gone through this in other World Cups.
MARIO DE STÉFANO KIT MAN
I was like, "Goddammit."
"This is too bad." When you play the second match,
you're like, "We'll be eliminated in the group stage."
It's hard.
After five or ten minutes,
we started talking a bit and getting it out of our systems.
However…
when you know the humility
that prevailed in the group,
that they'd pull forward all together,
you stop worrying.
Let's play against Mexico on the 26th. You'll see.
We had to face defeat because of those two moves.
We couldn't reverse the result of the match.
We had to look forward. We had to grow stronger.
We had to try to turn over the page.
It's over.
We knew that…
it was good that it happened at that moment.
If it'd happened in the quarter-finals, in the Round of 16
or in semifinals, it would've been harder for all of us.
It happened in the first match. We knew we had two matches left.
Two hard matches, but we knew we could do it.
We knew we had the players, a great national team,
we could achieve big things.
The fact that it happened in the first match was significant.
-Oh, no! Everybody asked that! -No, no!
All of them asked about Lionel.
Messi!
I'm from Saudi Arabia.
Argentina's out of the Cup.
Go away, Messi!
Get out of here!
Argentina and Messi become target of teasing,
and many wonder if we will be able to overcome this defeat.
What the Arabs and the entire world don't know
is that, in no time,
that question will be answered by the Argentine captain himself.
A much-needed voice raises and cheers up a whole country.
I think this squad always stood out
for being a strong team.
This is the moment to show that. We must be more united than ever.
It's not easy to start like this.
But…
Well…
I ask people to trust us. This group won't let them down.
It wasn't just a statement.
He showed leadership and the fact that they believed that.
Perhaps it clicked for us.
It was a sign to realize that we needed everybody's strength
to get over that situation
and move forward.
For us, hearing Leo say
that we wouldn't let people down…
If he says so,
it's impossible to feel bad or nervous afterwards.
You know he's on fire,
so you have to support him by all means.
It was quite a shock for us.
Nobody expected to start the World Cup in that way
after our winning streak.
Before the World Cup,
I used to say the hardest match was the first one.
For many of the younger players,
it was their first World Cup, their first match.
It may not seem so, but that has big significance
in the soccer pitch.
Those players who were in their first World Cup.
Those who had played very few matches with the national team.
We tried to cheer them up
because we needed to look further ahead
and become stronger as a team.
That's how teams are built.
In those moments, you get to know each player's personality.
You can lose a match.
The thing is how you get up, how you face it, right?
If you take a blow, you lean back, but then you move forward again.
It's the only way.
As we'd been doing it, as a team, as a group.
From that moment on, every match was like a final for us.
They knew who they were,
what they did, where they were.
Maybe that setback helped us
to understand that we didn't have to wait until we were in the Round of 16
for the World Cup or the knockout stage to begin.
It began with Mexico.
I had no doubts
that we were going to get over it,
in spite of that difficult moment.
Here we are!
One team arrives in Qatar as the defending champion.
That team is France,
the nation of the rooster
that already has two stars on its jersey.
The name of its key player resonates through the globe.
Kylian Mbappé,
the superstar that shines in the pitch with his speed, skills, and audacity.
As the French standard-bearer,
Mbappé is the custodian of the dream to renew the glory of an entire nation.
France is a powerful team
that combines experience and youth.
Established soccer players, warriors
who know the sweet taste of victory
mix with young talents brimming with ambition.
In the tactical trench, there's a leader.
Didier Deschamps.
He won the World Cup as a player and as a coach.
Deschamps embodies the wisdom and the vision
that only true champions can offer.
Mbappé crosses the ball!
-Goal! -Giroud!
He scores his 51st goal!
After the group stage,
France evinces
that they have come to Qatar
to win the tournament.
In the middle of the storm,
in the eye of the hurricane,
Lionel Scaloni appears.
He's a clear-minded strategist who refuses to give up
to despair.
It's still a soccer match.
It's still a game.
Of course, soccer is important, particularly for Argentina.
But we know that what led us here
is a way of playing, and we must stick to it.
The result
may change, but what matters
is to win your way,
and if the result is the opposite, to still play your way.
Let's do this, guys.
Explain to me what happened from minute 48 to 53.
Can any of you explain it?
They had no answer.
Otamendi told me, "No."
"I don't know. We didn't know what to do."
I do have explanations.
Although we'd won 36 matches in a row,
the context of the Argentine culture
is the same.
The fans.
They started chanting after 15 minutes, at minute 32 or 33.
But from minute ten on, people were in shock.
You can work on anything,
but you should get used to losing.
Unfortunately, there's no choice.
We must know that we can be defeated.
Because…
First, we haven't won anything for years now.
Secondly, it's part of the game and it's part of learning.
Goddammit! Otherwise, it's too easy.
It's impossible to be relaxed to play.
Nobody's ever relaxed to play.
We're in the World Cup. We're in our best possible condition.
Unfortunately or luckily, this is what happened.
If we get through the group stage
and bounce back, we'll certainly be competitive.
Be careful if we recover from this.
If you bounce back after this tremendous hit,
nobody will stop you, man.
-What matters is to recover now. -Sure.
I don't mean game recovery. We'll certainly recover in that sense.
I have no doubts. We play good soccer.
We play well.
Scaloni, unlike the first one…
This is his first World Cup as the head coach,
and he talked about the number 10,
the only Argentine player in history who has played five World Cups.
24 HOURS UNTIL THE MATCH
This is the moment for Leo Messi to show his leadership in the team.
They'll play a decisive match against Mexico.
They could also make changes…
It's the second match.
When you have to think
and analyze the impact…
Scaloni chooses to make a calm and deep analysis.
He goes for peaceful reflection
and will not hesitate to make changes in the formation.
I'd like to ask you something people may be wondering.
How's the spirit of the team after that unexpected defeat?
As for the team's spirit, beyond the first day,
when you're affected by the blow, and it has to be like that,
this group is capable of bouncing back.
We have no doubts about it.
We have no doubts about how we deal with it.
What's at stake? A soccer match.
With the responsibility of knowing there's a country supporting us,
hoping for us to succeed.
And I'm completely at peace because I know
that, in every match, we're going to give it our all.
That's what I need from my players, what I want them to do.
Then just come what may, it'll be positive.
Guys
Now we can dream again
I want to win the third one
Mexico!
We'll win today, Mexico!
You'll go home, Argentina. You should buy your ticket.
The plane leaves at 1 a.m.
Show you have balls
Tonight no matter what…
Argentina faces its greatest challenge in the Scaloni era.
Tension in the air is a lightning bolt about to strike.
Welcome, Argentina, to this decisive match against Mexico.
France has just won. Let's focus on this.
Optimism and positive energy.
The national team arrives again at the Lusail Stadium
with the hope of coming back one more time,
as this will be the venue for the World Cup finals.
The Argentine people know there's no room for error.
Another defeat
would leave us out of the World Cup.
It was one of the matches where I felt the most nervous.
After all we'd built for a year or a year and a half,
winning the Copa América, the Finalissima,
we knew we were one match away from leaving the World Cup,
from throwing all the hope of our people overboard
as if it was worthless.
It was a really hard moment.
Ladies and gentlemen, the whistle blows.
The first half is already on.
I remember that match by heart.
And… in that match…
we had no opportunities, we couldn't create them.
Argentina can't release from Mexico's good pressure.
Time went by.
And Mexico benefited from letting time go by.
Their next rival was Saudi Arabia.
Basically, they were eliminating Argentina.
The first half is a hesitant fight,
a dance where tension lies in wait and clouds judgment.
The lack of precision in the passes is constant.
It's the end of the first half.
Argentina 0.
Mexico 0.
We kicked off the World Cup in such a way
that we became uncertain and nervous
about what might happen.
The greatest rival of the team won't be Mexico,
but the challenge to manage their own nerves and anxiety.
Well, certainly…
it was our toughest match.
I think our manager said very accurate words.
He said, "All I'm asking you is to be patient."
"Believe in whatever you need to."
"Thanks to energy, God or whatever, you'll score a goal."
Argentina wants its first goal.
"You have everything else. But you must be patient."
In the second half,
with the force of a typhoon…
It's forcing Mexico to move backwards.
…the Argentine squad moves forward
and forces Mexico to retreat.
I think those are the situations that evince the most
the temperament of many players
who were playing their first World Cup, their first minutes.
There's a sub in Argentina. Enzo Fernández is now midfielder.
And then, destiny hovers over the pitch.
In the 19th minute of the second half,
the ball rolls to the feet of the genius from Rosario,
and the genius rubs his lamp.
Goal!
Leo!
Argentina scores!
The best in the world. The best of Argentina.
Our flag. Our guide.
Our hope.
Lionel Messi!
The play…
was very fast.
I had enough space.
In the last meters,
Fideo had the ball, he dribbled to the center
and crossed the ball to me.
Once I controlled the ball, I was ready to shoot.
So I shot.
When the match offered no opportunities,
when Argentina couldn't complete one pass,
when there was no teamwork,
there appeared Leo's instep for him to celebrate with his fans.
It was a relief.
It was a shout of relief.
We had no room for error.
We had to win no matter what.
Certainly, Leo's goal
unlocked the match.
We felt a kind of relief.
We were like, "Now this is Argentina."
Messi had to do it.
The man who flies the highest.
I just felt like enjoying it. Fideo was waiting for me.
I just ran to hug him.
It was a huge relief for all of us.
It was being a hard match.
We were very anxious and nervous.
From that moment on,
the team was ready to find the way of playing
we'd been implementing for such a long time.
We knew our hope was intact.
We were just the same.
Nothing had changed.
That was wonderful for us
because, although it was a tense match,
a hard match,
at some point, the number 10 would appear, and he did so.
Argentina's awarded a corner kick.
Minutes later, Enzo Fernández,
who has only worn the white-and-sky-blue jersey
in two official matches,
receives the ball from Messi…
Pass to Enzo Fernández. He feints.
He shoots… Goal!
Goal!
With a magnificent shot worthy of a painting.
From our makeshift pitches!
I remember…
Leo told me to get involved in the play.
So, well, I trusted him. I just approached to get involved.
When he passes the ball to me,
I tried to avoid the defender, who was waiting for me.
Everybody thought I'd cross the ball.
But he left a free space inward, so I kicked it and, luckily, I scored.
Long live soccer, Enzo!
The Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa can do nothing.
The adrenaline rush was amazing. Many thoughts came to my mind.
My family, all these years,
playing a World Cup with my national team.
I have no words.
Go, my beloved Argentina! Enzo Fernández!
That goal meant relief and peace of mind.
After that match,
the team began playing as we used to.
Argentina's about to win a match that'll remain in the World Cup history.
The victory is a huge relief,
a weight that vanishes in Qatar's stifling air.
I think it was the toughest match of the World Cup.
And I also think that…
without Leo, we couldn't have defeated Mexico.
We knew that it was the beginning of the World Cup for us.
From that moment on, every match was a final.
Ladies and gentlemen, Argentina is reborn,
it rises from the ashes, thanks to hope.
But soccer is as volatile as disconcerting,
and a warning shakes us
when Lionel Messi has the first chance to score against his third rival
in the group stage.
Robert Lewandowski's Poland,
at the Stadium 974.
It's a crucial moment in the night of Qatar.
Argentina wants to secure its place in the Round of 16.
Szczesny talked about Messi and how he studied him.
"I'm waiting for you," he said. The moment of truth.
The goalie stops the ball!
Szczesny stops it! Unbelievable!
That penalty really helped me.
Although…
Although I missed it, after that penalty,
I started kicking differently.
I started looking at them more and waiting a bit longer before kicking.
At that moment, I wanted to guarantee the score.
So I kicked it hard.
That was one penalty kick I could miss.
Although it was a bad situation,
it was good for what happened afterwards.
Suspense ends
at the beginning of the second half.
This is Ángel Di María.
Pass to the right for Nahuel Molina. He crosses the ball!
Goal! Alexis!
Goal!
An accurate cross by Nahuel Molina
and a goal scored by Alexis Mac Allister unlock the euphoria in the stands,
and now La Albiceleste is in advantage.
Come on, Argentina!
Argentina 1.
Poland 0.
We are in the Round of 16. We want to be first.
Argentina's up 1-0. Alexis scores!
But Argentina doesn't slow down,
and a superb goal by Julián Álvarez
seals the victory
and the squad's first position in Group C.
It was my first match in the World Cup.
I think that's the way I am.
I always try to seize the opportunities,
to show that I'm up to the standard
and that, if I'm chosen, I can help my mates.
As a forward player, to score is always nice to help the team.
Enzo.
Here comes Enzo. He kicks to the area. I like this!
Goal!
It's a superb goal by Julián!
Julián! Our dear Julián!
Go, Argentina! Julián Álvarez!
The goal play was very fast.
Enzo passed the ball.
I controlled it quite easily.
Then I made a move to cover the ball with my left foot.
And I kicked it hard to the top. It was my first goal in the World Cup.
And it would help us reach the Round of 16.
It was very important.
Ladies and gentlemen,
let's dream together.
Argentina is in the Round of 16
of this World Cup!
The Souq Waqif market in Qatar,
which is a crucial point that invites fans of every country,
is tinged with white and sky blue.
Argentina, you know that I love you
Today we have to win
And become champions
Let's go, team
These crazy fans Would do anything for the Cup
We have Messi and Maradona
The true force of a national team
comes from its people.
The fans are its fuel.
Look where we are.
We're locals everywhere.
-Go, Argentina! -Go!
I ASK PEOPLE TO TRUST US
MY DREAM IS TO SEE YOU WIN
GOODBYE, DIEGO 10
You've got a friend in me
With Leo Messi
We'll take a victory lap!
SCALONI'S CREW
In the majestic Ahmed bin Ali Stadium,
Argentina fights a brave Australian squad.
Ladies and gentlemen, we're ready.
The whistle's about to blow.
Argentina has control,
but Australia never gives up the fight.
He leads the way. Messi settles the ball.
A free kick. Argentina wants to score.
At minute 35, Messi, in his match number 1,000,
keeps on writing his history.
Lionel has the ball. The pass close to the area.
Messi goes in, he kicks.
Goal!
Argentina scores!
Argentina! The number 10 scores! It's Messi!
He's the best player in the world.
Go, Messi, go!
I take a free kick from one side of the pitch.
The ball leaves the area. I pass the ball to Otamendi.
He says that he left it to me.
Well, I was already running, so it was very fast.
I was running, so I had the advantage.
I rolled the ball into the far post.
Between three defenders, he kicks the ball
and it rolls straight
to the farthest post from the goalkeeper.
Argentina 1, Australia 0.
Lionel Messi scores the goal.
In the second half,
Rodrigo de Paul's pressure and speed lead to the second goal,
scored by Julián Álvarez.
Julián!
Goal!
Rodri applies pressure.
He pressures one, two, three times. They pass the ball to the goalie.
When the goalie controls it, I appear from the other side.
He doesn't see me.
I take the ball from him and I manage to score.
But sports are unpredictable.
Australia responds with a fortuitous goal
that is the result of the combination of a long-range shot
and an unfortunate gameplay.
Australia scores.
Now Argentina 2.
Australia 1.
Our hearts stopped!
In that match, we were far better than Australia.
We created many scoring-plays.
We could've widened the score.
But they ended up scoring a rebound goal.
And, in their last play, they had the chance
to tie the match, but that's when Dibu appears.
It's the last play.
They cross the ball.
Here they come.
Be careful, Dibu! Go, Dibu!
Dibu!
You need quick decisions. Goalies must think fast.
Either you move or stay. Should I stay or should I go?
Tagliafico almost touches it, and the lad controls it.
If I stay back in the goal, he would tear the net.
As I come out really fast,
when he looks up, I'm already in front of him.
All he can do is kick the ball to the area,
hit it hard, eyes closed.
Emiliano Martínez
shows he's one of those goalkeepers who can stop decisive balls.
Martínez gives us this victory!
I got up so fast, I didn't know where the ball was.
I just grabbed it.
And threw myself to the ground.
Everybody was swearing. Enzo and Otamendi hugged me.
We threw ourselves on top of him.
And we all hugged him.
It's a very tense moment.
I can feel that from my mates.
That's the role I play.
If they're nervous, I must calm them down.
That's my thing. Dibu's here to support you.
That's the work I do, I throw myself to the ground all day.
Time's up.
Argentina is in quarter-finals!
Paulo Dybala is training.
Getting injured in a World Cup is every soccer player's nightmare.
The days before the match against the Netherlands
were very hard for me.
I got injured in the middle of the World Cup.
It was a silly move. I tried to cross the ball in a small-sided game.
I felt something
on the back of my right leg.
I felt it and I was like…
I mean, I don't know…
I suddenly felt my head ringing, and I got totally disconnected.
De Paul's presence is vital in the quarter-finals
against the Netherlands.
Recovery times are very tight.
The first one to approach me was Messi.
-"What happened?" -"I don't know."
I really didn't know what it was.
The manager came immediately
to ask what had happened to me.
They told me to get an MRI. I said no.
The MRI could show an injury
and I could be left out of the Cup.
So I got an ultrasound.
They told me, "It isn't serious. It's a first-degree tear."
"You must rest 10 to 15 days."
I went to my room and cried.
All I did was cry
and wonder why that was happening to me.
First time I get injured, right here. I'd miss the World Cup.
The following day,
I asked to speak to the manager.
I said, "Leo, we trust each other, we've worked together for a long time."
"I'm only asking you
to let me decide if I'm in condition to play or not."
"Please, don't ask the doctor."
"You already know what he's going to tell you."
"I promise to tell the truth."
"If I'm in no condition, I won't…"
He said, "All right, your call."
48 HOURS UNTIL THE MATCH
The doctor, Dani Martínez, told me,
"Most players, with that injury, wouldn't even try."
"I know you will."
"But I need to be honest."
"If you play,
there's a 70% chance you'll get seriously injured."
"It'll get worse and you won't be able to go on."
"If you don't play this match,
we have five days till the semifinals."
You might recover."
I said, "Dani, I don't know if we'll reach semis."
"Or if I'll be part of the team in four years."
"This may be my last match in a World Cup."
So I got up, put some ice on it, got a massage, did some biking,
tried different therapies, pressed with my fingers…
At least, I tried
to ease off the area a bit.
The next morning,
the fitness coach comes and tells me,
"Grab the GPS. We'll go to the pitch so you can try."
If the numbers on the GPS were good…
I was like, "Oh."
And then came Messi. He said, "I'll go with you."
Without saying it, he was backing up my decision.
"You want to try, I'll go with you."
"I don't think it's the best for you,
but I back up your decision."
So we went to the pitch, he sat down on a ball.
I did my first run, got back, and the fitness coach goes like this.
I told him, "Oh, it was just the first run."
When I did my second and third runs, I was like,
"If it gets worse, that's it."
-As in Necochea, right? -What?
What?
As in Necochea?
Or Tandil. Where did you do your pre-season?
Tandil.
-Tandil? -Yeah.
-Well, remember that. -Okay.
When you were a kid and started at Racing Club.
Okay.
-Fly. -Okay.
-Fly. -Say the word, Luis.
Go!
At least, the numbers were good.
Now I needed to speak to the manager.
He called me, I went to his office.
They were all there. Pablo, Walter and Ayala.
He asked, "How are you?" I said, "I'm fine."
He said, "Was it a miracle?"
"A strain doesn't heal in 48 hours."
The players who go out onto the pitch need to be fit to play.
We always have that in mind.
He said,"You know I can't sub you off in the quarter-finals after 10 minutes."
"It'd be a shame."
I told him, "I don't know about that. But I feel fine, I swear."
"Then you'll play."
Let's see how many minutes De Paul is able to play.
He's played the whole 90 till now, in every match.
Let's see if De Paul is at 100% to endure the whole 90 minutes,
or if he's only able to play part of the match.
But today, De Paul will be a starter.
I choose to believe. I don't care.
The goalie comes out. He kicks, it goes in. Goal!
Argentina and the Netherlands
have had a historic rivalry in World Cups.
But here in Qatar,
it isn't just about tactics and strategies.
It's also a story of personal rivalries.
I think they'd made some statements
that were inappropriate.
I think it had to do with the pre-match.
Their manager spoke before the match.
I hope we can win against Argentina.
This way we will continue in the race to win the Cup.
The World Cup.
I think anything can happen.
I think we do have a chance of beating them.
And we have a score to settle with them.
It would be very nice for us to win this time.
Their manager said
that when we played against them in 2014,
Leo hadn't played well or been relevant.
Messi is the most dangerous and creative player.
He creates many plays that allow him to reach the goal and score alone.
But, on the other hand,
when the opponent has the ball, he doesn't participate much in the game.
That gives us an advantage.
Their manager said
that in a penalty shoot-out, they had the advantage.
I remember I took a screenshot of that.
I sent it to Tocalli and my family. I said, "He's playing with fire."
ANDRIES NOPPERT NETHERLANDS GOALKEEPER
That started escalating. And we heard about it.
Angelito knew him from the United
and said "He's talking too much."
"Listen to what he's saying!"
"We'll beat him today."
We had that feeling. "Today, no matter what, we need to win."
We didn't, at any time,
replied to them nor let us be teased.
But we felt we were being attacked, we felt we were being offended,
so we replied to them…
in the pitch, and then during the match,
there were situations that went beyond
what's normal in a soccer match.
I know those things affect him. He doesn't like them.
If they used it as a strategy, it turned out wrong for them.
They got the wrong person angry.
Disputes about every play become rough.
Some choose to play to the limit.
Leo has the ball.
There goes Messi. I like it, he shoots!
It goes over the crossbar. That was so good!
Molina goes forward. That's it, kid. Go, Nahuel.
In the pre-match,
we knew that, on that side, we could have our chances
either from behind the full-back or through the middle.
Messi has it, he dribbles.
He makes a masterful play and approaches the area.
There goes the genius…
The number 10 moves forward with the ball tied to his foot
and orchestrates a sublime assist
that finds Molina again.
He makes an incredible pass.
Only a genius could see that.
He's a genius.
He's into every detail. Nothing ever escapes him.
The genius makes a pass to Molina. That's it!
Goal!
Molina scores for Argentina!
It was a great combination!
It's a surgical and masterful pass,
which nobody but Messi could see.
There's credit to Nahuel and also to Scaloni.
Scaloni told us pre-match, "The match is on that side."
"With Nahuel against Blind."
Time goes by for everyone, and Blind was already 35 years old.
And one of Nahuel's best features is his speed.
"Okay, Nahuel."
"When you run, you should overtake him."
"You should overtake him five, six, seven, eight times."
"You should better him."
In the training, the day before,
Leo, in one of the plays we were practicing,
told me, "Tomorrow we'll score a goal from that side, don't worry."
I thought to myself, "I hope so!"
I don't know how he saw me or if he saw me or heard me.
I really don't know.
I saw him running forward
and although it was a hard pass,
I tried it, I took the risk.
Everybody was expecting a pass to Acuña,
who was coming on the sideline unmarked.
But I felt that Nahuel had the chance on that side,
and it worked.
I kept on running and the ball appeared in front of me.
I toe-poked the ball.
But fortunately, I had good control.
That allowed me to shoot afterwards.
Goal!
I felt so happy!
At that moment, a lot of things came to my mind. My first goal.
I'd dreamed about it several times.
It happened in a World Cup, in a quarter-final, opening the scoring.
I felt very excited and happy about that goal.
He's telling De Paul he shouldn't leave De Jong alone.
He keeps on gesturing.
He should be on top of De Jong, not let him play.
Then my job was…
blocking De Jong, who was their best player.
Something that happens to me a lot is that I take the matches personally.
It helps me focus.
In a particular play, I went to apply pressure on De Jong.
He made the pass and I pushed him. And he didn't react.
So I saw that, or wanted to see it,
as a sign of respect, and that made me feel more confident.
And…
Then I think the match went good for me
till minute 70, when I was done.
He gave it his all.
He didn't show even for a moment
signs of not feeling well.
This ovation
is something he built minute after minute,
giving it his all on the pitch.
Lean Paredes goes in, the midfield is rearranged.
In a masterful play,
Marcos Acuña appears from the left sideline.
Marcos, all the way to the end line.
He'll try a cross, Enzo's waiting.
He's brought down. Penalty!
-Penalty! It's a penalty! -Penalty!
Penalty!
As expected, the Argentine captain takes responsibility for the shot.
Noppert talks to him.
In this championship,
he's already missed a penalty kick against Poland.
Nerves could play tricks on anyone.
But not on Messi.
The Argentine soccer's eternal left leg.
There goes Lionel. Goal!
Argentina scores!
The Messiah.
God is Maradona.
The Messiah is Lionel.
Now, that's it.
The match seems to be spent.
Leo scores the goal, he does the famous Topo Gigio
towards the bench.
It was a heated match right from the beginning.
Things started to heat up.
They had two big forwards.
I came out, caught the ball in front of him and made him fall.
And I looked at him defiantly like,
"Here, inside the area, the ball's mine."
But one should never underestimate the good old Netherlands.
Goal for the Netherlands. Careful. They'll keep on trying that cross.
This isn't over. There's still a lot to go.
The match is at its peak tension
when Leandro Paredes takes it to the extreme.
Paredes brings him down and recovers the ball. Paredes again.
I guess Paredes will get a yellow card.
It got heated up in every sense.
It was like playing in the sandlot.
We kicked them, hit them, threw the ball at them.
Things got mad between the two teams' benches.
Everybody entered the pitch.
Conditioned by the Europeans' untimely reaction,
the referee Lahoz
lets it slip.
Over the years, Leandro and I got calmer.
We used to be very confrontational.
Leo used to tell us, "Everybody hates you two!"
"You can't be arguing with everybody the whole time."
But when he does it…
the good thing about it is that it gives him confidence.
It's an incentive for him,
so we want him to keep on doing it, we'll keep on standing up for him.
He'll keep on feeling more confident by doing all that.
Argentina retreats too much,
and Pezzella commits a foul inside the penalty area.
We need to resist. It's the last play of the match.
Koopmeiners makes a precise set piece,
and leaves Argentina motionless.
We knew it was a complicated match, a difficult match.
And the situation in the match was that we were up 2-0,
but suddenly they tied the game and we had to play overtime.
On some occasions, when a team manages to tie a game,
the emotional momentum helps that team
to keep applying pressure on the rival.
But in our case, after that moment,
we did our best to try to win it.
Otamendi couldn't touch it by an inch!
Argentina shows more enthusiasm. The Netherlands wants it to end.
Argentina pushes towards the goal.
That's great!
A great cross. That's it!
Unbelievable!
Now it's the last play.
Messi passes the ball, Enzo aims to the goal. Enzo…!
The ball hits the post. Unbelievable!
The decisive moment arrives.
The penalty shoot-out.
The Argentine team places all its hopes in its goalkeeper,
Dibu Martínez,
who has already shown
these situations aren't a burden for him.
Van Dijk comes to kick. I knew him from the Premier League.
I knew that on three occasions, he'd kicked it across.
I thought, "In a penalty, in the World Cup,
he'll shoot to where he scored before."
So I took my chances.
There goes Van Dijk… Dibu!
Dibu!
Here comes Leo. This is Messi… Goal!
Goal by the legend, the king, the number 10!
Go, Argentina! My beloved Argentina!
Emiliano Martínez plays with the kickers' minds,
and in that psychological battle,
he's a chess player.
Here comes Berghuis… Dibu!
Then he stops balls.
And he dances.
The dance thing…
I've never danced!
The guys tell me, "Do the dance." I can't do it!
It was spontaneous.
Enzo Fernández approaches to take his penalty confidently.
The day before, I had practiced kicking to that place.
I think I shot two or three times to that place and I scored.
But then Dibu told me I had to kick to the middle.
"If I stop one or two balls, you kick to the middle."
"Great, Dibu. I'll do that."
I'd stopped two balls. With Enzo's penalty, we'd win.
When the penalty shoot-out came,
I trusted I'd kicked to that place and scored the day before.
I shot to the same place.
Here comes Enzo… Out!
It's unbelievable! We'll have to keep on suffering!
He kicks it across and misses.
I told him post-match, "Enzo, I said to the middle!"
Today? I'd kick to the middle.
Last penalty of the shoot-out.
The Netherlands is forced to score.
De Jong against Dibu…
Goal for the Netherlands. The Netherlands scores.
Now we'll have the last penalty.
Lautaro, in a World Cup where scoring has eluded him,
must convert to redeem himself
and lead Argentina to the semifinals.
Each of our players who went to kick the penalties
was approached by the rivals, who kept talking and harassing them.
The referees tried to control that, but up to a certain point.
Fideo also got a bit involved in the mess, so to speak.
That explains why we celebrated like that later.
Goal!
Argentina scores!
Argentina!
Olé, olé, olé! Every day I love you more!
We're Argentina!
The reaction of some players was immediate and visceral.
Messi, with a mulled-over attitude,
replied in the pitch to Van Gaal's pre-match statements.
Leo had told me, "For us to be champions…"
"For us to be champions,
some unexpected players and things need to appear."
You would expect
that Otamendi heads ten balls out,
that Leo scores five or six goals,
that the other forward scores three or four goals.
But you need a Nahuel Molina to open the scoring in a quarter-final,
you need the goalie to save you sometimes.
Some player who comes from the bench
must be a key player for a victory.
"That's what you need to be a world champion."
And it happened.
All that happened.
Go, Argentina!
We're among the top four in the World Cup!
Thank you, guys!
Argentina arrives, for the fourth time in this championship,
at the great Lusail Stadium
to play against the fantastic Luka Modric's Croatia,
with the bad memory of the 3-to-0 defeat in Russia,
in the last World Cup.
We had to play against…
a Croatian team that,
in every World Cup, reaches decisive stages.
Here comes the first half. Go, Argentina! Let's have faith.
Millions of fans in South America and Europe
beat to the rhythm of a unique dream,
the desire to see their teams in the Grand Final.
That's a foul by Kovačić.
Croatia had a very good squad.
If we let them play, they could have the control of the entire match.
During the first minutes,
they held the ball a bit more, but we were sticking to our game plan.
But soccer
is a symphony made up of skills
and knowing how to take advantage of opportunities.
Álvarez for the goal! Penalty!
Penalty!
Penalty for Argentina!
Julián Álvarez, face to face with the goalkeeper!
Yes, Livaković!
Messi,
the living icon of world soccer,
once again faces the responsibility.
I'd studied the goalkeepers to be able to help my teammates.
The Croatian goalie usually waited in the middle.
So I told Leo that, if he shot a penalty,
he should kick it hard and high.
He waits, but then guesses the side.
He'd stopped good balls in the World Cup.
The whole stadium
holds its breath.
Goal!
Messi takes a precise and angled shot,
impossible for the Croatian goalkeeper to stop.
Here comes the counter-attack. There goes Messi.
Let's see the counter-attack. Go, Julián!
Julián Álvarez decisively heads towards the opponent's goal,
to knit a fabulous play.
Julián, goal!
Goal!
Julián pushed everybody out of his way!
Julián! Come on, Julián!
That's it, Julián! Go, Julián!
Once we opened the scoring,
we started controlling the game at our pace.
Argentina controls all aspects of the game,
and at minute 69, Messi,
with his unrivalled skill,
dribbles past the young defender Gvardiol,
breaking through his defense with grace and class.
There goes Messi.
He makes a feint.
That's extraordinary from Messi!
He passes it for Julián to score the goal.
Goal!
Nahuel was about to take a throw-in.
Leo made a gesture for me to go to the sideline.
Nahuel passed it to me, I passed it to Leo and then he did everything.
I started running forward along the sideline.
I did what I could at that moment, and it ended up in that play.
I was heading for the area
because I knew that, sooner or later, I'd have the chance.
I really didn't plan the move before doing it, not at all.
It was…
It was something that developed
due to different situations in the match.
It was a great play by Leo. I just had to touch the ball.
Lio Messi, Julián from behind. It'll be Julián's goal! Goal!
Goal!
Argentina 3, Croatia 0!
Argentina's very close to reaching the World Cup final!
Among chants and applause, we all made our way together
to the Grand Final of this World Cup.
This is very touching.
Seeing all this.
It's been something amazing.
Although we started with a defeat, as we said back then,
we asked people to trust us
because we knew what we were capable of.
And this squad is amazing.
And… well, we did it.
Once again, Argentina reaches a World Cup final,
and now we have to enjoy all this.
One more step to go.
And this month's journey will be impossible to forget.
The goals that were a ray of light amidst the initial darkness,
are each a celebration that paid tribute to passion.
Screams.
Tears.
Each victory was a shared triumph and a bond that takes us
closer together as a country.
The last workout leaves nothing to chance.
In this training session,
the finals already begin to be played in the head of each protagonist.
Great! That's it!
Good! Change sides, Lean.
The day before, or two days before,
in the workouts, we laughed a lot and had a good time.
We knew that it was about to end,
so the atmosphere…
was a mix of longing and joy.
But we wanted to come back home
carrying the Cup.
We felt nervous. We felt very nervous.
We were afraid, but we felt confident too.
We'd been doing great the whole tournament.
2 HOURS UNTIL THE FINAL
We left for the stadium.
You could see…
the guys were confident.
They were very confident.
Very confident.
I couldn't help it. I looked at Scaloni.
"I'm asking for your permission. If I'm not allowed, no problem."
-"What do you want?" -"To give a speech on the bus."
So there I went, I stood in the middle.
"This moment…
is unique."
"Right now, you have to think of your families."
"Your families are the ones who stand by you
through thick and thin, they are the ones."
"We're just one step away."
"Just one step."
"But mark my words,
give it your all on the pitch, like you've done in every match."
Bravo!
I don't want any applause. I do it because I feel it.
This Cup couldn't slip away from these guys.
It couldn't slip away.@@
All these guys are like my own.@@
They're like my children, I always want the best for them.@@
Always.@@
Otamendi.@@
Fideo.@@
They're the last kids I have left.@@
They're my kids.@@
Leo.@@
It's not easy for them. I've been in this position for 26 years.
They've been fighting once and again…
not being able to win anything.
It wasn't fair, so at some point,
God smiled on us.
And it was in Doha.
The right time had come.
I was really eager to play.
I'd already missed the 2014 final.
So I didn't want to miss this one.
I was doing well physically, I was feeling great.
Sometimes, I thought,
"He'll trust in me again, I'll have the chance."
And on the other hand,
I felt that the squad had been playing really well.
And he gave me the chance again, so I tried not to let him down.
Let's go! Today's the day. Today we'll achieve it.
We've waited for so many years! Today we'll make it.
France and Argentina.
The most anticipated duel.
The defending champion and the challenging team.
The two best players of the tournament.
Mbappé wants to sit on the throne
that Messi has held for more than 15 years.
For Messi, it may be his last chance to win
the only trophy he's missing,
the one he wishes the most.
The referee blows the whistle. The Grand Final's already on!
Go, my beloved Argentina!
Argentina goes for the victory from minute one,
with composure and a neat performance.
De Paul has the ball, Rodrigo crosses it,
it goes through, Di María faces the goal
and it goes over the crossbar.
During the first 45 minutes, the kind of superiority we had,
I don't think I'd seen it before in a soccer pitch.
We started playing the match
with great confidence.
They couldn't take the ball from us.
We were always a step ahead of them.
One of us was always unmarked.
There was always an extra guy from us in the areas we made passes.
And the results of that performance appear right away.
Di María slips his mark and enters his comfort zone,
the opponent's area.
A great play by Di María, by Angelito!
Foul! Penalty!
When I passed in front of him,
I noticed he was trying to pass me again on the left,
so I tried to block his path on purpose.
He ended up touching my heel a bit.
That's when I tripped with my own legs, but it was due to his touch.
So that was it. A clear penalty.
Penalty for Argentina!
Messi and a new definition from the penalty spot.
Messi with his hands on his waist.
Messi steps back, he shoots…
Goal!
Lloris to one side, Messi to the other!
Argentina
and this renewed hope!
Argentina keeps on speeding up
and creates the most lethal counter-attack
in the history of the World Cup.
Upamecano makes a long pass, Nahuel Molina recovers the ball.
Quick pass to Alexis, then to Messi.
Messi makes a quick pass to Julián.
Mac Allister has the ball, Di María wants to score.
Di María receives it…
Goal!
There's a missing link between Maradona and Messi,
and the name of that Argentine player,
in the realm of mortals,
is Ángel Di María,
a man chosen to shine bright in decisive moments.
When Leo received it,
I already started running forward
because there's a 99.9% chance that he won't lose it.
Alexis passes it right away, then Leo passes it to me.
I passed it to Alexis to the empty space.
I'd already started running.
I'm 35 years old, and from experience, I know I need to start running earlier.
Alexis saw…
He saw Fideo, who came running on the other side.
I started speeding up.
I was confident the ball would get to me.
When he made that perfect pass,
I'd already seen some images of the goalie before the match.
He usually came out close to the ground
to try to block as quickly as possible.
So I tried to hit the ball on the bounce
to be able to score into the far post.
That counter-attack was amazing.
Everyone made one or two quick passes.
We were precise. It was a great goal.
It feels so good when you see people doing all those things.
Either on the beach or in any part of the world.
I saw that some people did it on the Eiffel Tower too.
Then, yelling out the goal means
letting it all out, so to speak.
I sort of let out
the bad moments I went through with the national team,
the finals I missed.
Believe it or not, in those four or five seconds
of the goal celebration,
I suddenly remembered
eight or nine years of my life in a flash.
As soon as the ball went in, I was like, "Again! I scored once again."
Feeling desperate about Argentina's dominance,
Deschamps doesn't hesitate to make two changes before half-time.
France is getting a thrashing that was completely unthinkable
in a World Cup final. The coach substitutes the forward.
When there were 15 minutes left,
I told them "15 minutes left."
"Just 15 minutes. We can't lose this."
There's a long way to go.
Long pass from Mbappé. Otamendi needs to clear the ball.
He struggles with Kolo Muani, who overtakes him. Careful.
Penalty!
Minute 79…
The ball wasn't exactly in my foot for me to be able to clear it.
It was inward, and it was hard for me
to clear it.
And when I saw…
that he put his foot across, I was like, "We're screwed."
And the hope is possible…
The hope is possible! With Kylian Mbappé!
Eighty one minutes! France is still in the race!
Look how crazy soccer is! I had asked Leo
about Mbappé and where he liked to kick penalties.
"He goes slowly and then hits it hard, halfway up, to the right."
So I waited and then flew a bit upwards.
Then I moved downwards and it overcame me.
I couldn't reach it.
Messi knows it was the defense's mistake.
A difference in the score that, a few minutes before, guaranteed victory
now becomes fragile.
Messi runs.
Messi holds onto the ball.
Acuña on the sideline. Here comes Leo.
Messi's marked by two players.
Coman applies pressure, he steals the ball cleanly.
Here comes France.
Careful, here they come. Go, Argentina!
Then, the unthinkable…
happens.
-A high pass for Mbappé… -That's it!
Goal!
Exceptional!
Kylian Mbappé scores his second goal!
A World Cup final against such a powerful national team…
We were the protagonists for 70 minutes,
we created several goal-scoring opportunities.
And losing, in 20 minutes,
all the things that you'd achieved throughout 70 minutes
was really…
a very hard blow and I was like, "This can't be happening, not again."
Suddenly, I looked at the score and it was 2-2.
It was like a punch on the face.
De Paul gets it down, Messi insists.
And it's the end of the match! We'll have overtime.
We'll have overtime, we'll have to keep on fighting!
The overtime
will be the epilogue of this Grand Final.
When the overtime came,
I looked at the guys' faces
and thought, "Don't worry, we'll win this."
By the end of the first half of the overtime,
Lautaro Martínez and Messi
make a great combination.
Great pass to Lautaro. Lautaro!
The goalie stops it, Messi, goal!
-Goal! -Goal by Messi! Messi scores!
A goal worth the Cup! A goal worth the world title!
-And it's for Argentina! -Goal by Leo!
Goal!
It was a goal by Leo again.
And that's when you think, "That's it."
"This guy already scored two goals in the final,
there's no way he can lose."
After that, it seemed like that was it.
Nothing else could happen, we were up 3-2.
The match had like…
two or three minutes left.
That goal gave us
the world title.
The stadium is an overflow of madness and astonishment.
But the unthinkable happens again.
Mbappé shoots, they appeal for handball. Penalty.
Penalty for France, ladies and gentlemen.
I didn't mean to touch the ball with my hand,
but he shot to the goal, I covered myself
and it touched me. It was bad luck.
It was an unfortunate thing
that I had to go through right at that moment.
It's a penalty for France, I can't believe it.
It's unbelievable! It's a nightmare!
I was next to Fideo.
We were watching the match and cried.
I suppose we didn't have…
another way to let out everything we were feeling.
We couldn't get it.
Mbappé to shoot.
Here goes Mbappé.
Mbappé… goal for France.
Goal for France. The score's 3-3.
That's soccer, right?
During 75 or 80 minutes, we played exceptionally well.
And in ten minutes, we almost lost a final, after all we'd done.
Messi feels his dream…
is starting to slip away.
And an unfortunate clearance leaves the French player Kolo Muani
facing the Argentine goal.
The French team has it. A long pass goes through.
Kolo Muani!
Martínez saves the Albiceleste!
Dibu Martínez spreads his arms and feet
in a move that will always be the save of his life…
and of ours.
When the ball bounces, I saw it'd gone up high.
The first thing you think of doing is coming out.
If I came out right away,
he would kick it up easily.
If I stayed too far back, he would pass it to Mbappé.
Here I had to stay in the middle,
wait for the ball to come down and block the space.
When he lowered his head to hit it hard,
there I used my hand
and my foot.
Even if he'd broken my nose, I would've been happy.
I wouldn't even…
have been able to go on living if he'd scored.
When I stretched my leg and I couldn't reach it, I was like…
And when Dibu stopped it,
I got up quickly…
and made a pass, and we attacked again.
It was insane.
Cross to Lautaro… Out!
Out!
Lautaro almost scored a header.
We'll have a penalty shoot-out.
What a final, good Lord!
The World Cup will be decided in a penalty shoot-out.
That's it! Come on! Let's go!
The key players of each team take responsibility to begin shooting.
Here comes Mbappé.
He'll face Dibu.
Mbappé against Dibu.
Mbappé…
Goal for France.
It's 1-0. Dibu chose the right side.
Dibu Martínez almost guesses
the third penalty kicked by Mbappé this day,
but the power of the shot makes it unstoppable.
Messi goes for a subtle and suspenseful shot.
Messi… goal!
Goal for Argentina by our dear Leo!
He waited till the end. The series is 1-1.
Go, my beloved Argentina. Go, Dibu.
Coman to kick.
Coman… the goalie saves it!
The goalie saves it! Dibu stops it!
For Dibu it's not enough,
and his legend continues to grow in front of Coman.
I told the guys, "If I save one penalty,
the next of you, shoot to the middle. I know Lloris."
I knew him from the Premier League, he wouldn't stay in the middle.
So Dybala…
shot to the middle.
Here comes Paulo Dybala.
Go, Paulo!
Dybala… goal!
Goal for Argentina! Argentina scores!
Our dear Paulo!
Argentina 2, France 1.
Tchouaméni to kick. Go, Dibu, come on.
Dibu can do what few goalkeepers can do.
He conditions any kicker who faces him.
It's Tchouaméni against Dibu.
Here comes Tchouaméni.
Tchouaméni… out!
It's out!
Out!
Out! Go, Dibu!
Our dear Dibu!
Here comes Paredes.
It's Leandro against Lloris.
Goal!
One more step to go!
One more step to go! Argentina 3-1!
Argentina 3-1!
Ladies and gentlemen, there's no room for error for France!
Let's win the World Cup, Argentina!
Goal by Kolo Muani.
Kolo Muani scores his penalty,
but he knows that his great opportunity…
was already wasted.
Go, Argentina! Good Lord!
At some moments, during the penalties,
I felt my whole body trembling.
And when Montiel started to walk towards the goal,
to be honest,
I was super nervous, I felt bad.
These guys need to have huge balls to be there and kick a penalty,
although they're professionals and they're used to it.
It was a World Cup final, and they were giving it their all.
There are moments that leave an imprint on the memories of an era,
instants that impregnate the history of sports.
I tried to focus only on shooting and not to think of anything else
because that's the moment when you get nervous.
I was just thinking about which direction to shoot.
In Gonzalo Montiel's feet
lies the Argentine dream,
a dream that has been postponed for 36 years.
This penalty
is the dream of every young player
who started playing in sandlots,
in the neighborhood, in the street, on the pavement,
in small towns.
This is Montiel.
Lionel Messi and a whole country behind him.
We pray.
We choose to believe.
We're all Montiel! Go, Gonzalo!
Goal!
The sound of the net unleashes the catharsis.
Argentina's the world champion!
Goal!
The dust of the desert settles,
and the echo of the white-and-sky-blue chants
becomes never-ending as we all realize
that we have finally conquered.
We had to wait 36 years
for soccer to give us this immense joy again!
Thank you, my beloved Argentina!
Argentina's the world champion for the third time.
This final will be remembered as the best in World Cup history.
Thank you, Messi!
Leo, soccer gave you back everything you've done for it!
Soccer gave you back everything you've done for it, Leo!
Well, I think that…
I've had this dream since I was a kid.
And many times,
I'd been so close to achieve it.
I'd been so close to make it in 2014.
To be honest, since I was a child,
the only thing I've always wanted,
after making my debut,
was to play for the national team.
To represent my country and to win a World Cup.
It's heavy.
Amazing.
Sometimes, I'd like to live it again.
To be able to enjoy it a bit longer.
We brought it home. It's beautiful.
The satisfaction and the joy about this achievement
is the ultimate dream for any kid who plays soccer.
It's an honor and a privilege.
And an immense joy.
It was the sweetest revenge for me.
I had the chance to play in a final again
and win it.
I was able to achieve it.
It's the most beautiful thing I've experienced in my career.
I can't believe it.
I want to take pictures of it all the time.
I want to kiss it.
It took me…
almost 30 years of my career
and I want to see it every day.
On the bedside table maybe, to keep it close to me.
I apply polish to make it super shiny.
Sometimes, it's a grey day outside.
I'm drinking mate at home, feeling cold,
but I look at the Cup… and I smile.
It's the most beautiful trophy
that a soccer player can win.
To raise this trophy…
Players like Passarella are icons in Argentina.
And to be in the same list as them
is very difficult.
Being able to hold it, to touch it.
Sometimes, when I look at it
and I hold it, I always remember that video of Maradona.
And having this possibility now is unforgettable for me.
This is the most important trophy for any soccer player,
and we could win it…
for Leo, who was the one who deserved it the most.
Being the world champion is something I've wished so much.
Besides,
it was the only title I was missing to complete all my achievements.
We had to wait for it
because it's the hardest one to get.
But finally, thank God, I was lucky enough
to win it too.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Leo will raise the Cup. Why?
Because we are the world champions!
On this day, December 18, 2022,
Lionel Andrés Messi
reaches the apex
and achieves immortality.
In an act of divine justice,
Messi achieves what he deserved more than anyone else.
At that moment, we felt that soccer is more than a game,
it's a passion that runs in our veins.
People needed to see that and to feel part
of this achievement.
That's why they celebrated so much.
People felt part of it.
Once upon a time,
a dream came true.
A day
when all of the inhabitants of a country
were happy.
A day
when our hearts beat and vibrated to the same rhythm.
And we came together
to wave our white-and-blue flags,
fused with the sky.
There was a day when the people's team
returned home.
And in an endless pilgrimage, they found their promised land.
Making somebody happy
is a huge thing.
And having the power to make so many people happy…
They were happy! Maybe for an hour, maybe for two days.
Or maybe they still are.
We made people smile, people who really needed it.
There was a day
when a Messiah lowered the third star from heaven.
There was a day
when we paid tribute to a team with an indomitable spirit.
And we were happy for them.
With them.
Thanks to them.
I'm Argentine!
It's a feeling
I just can't stop!
There was a day
when we chose to believe.
I just can't stop!
Olé, olé, olé! Olé, olé, olé, olá!
Go, champions!
Glass wall
Rain on the chest and on the parietal
Watching your face like in a spiral
Normal, everything goes normal
And I go
Alone, feeling the pleasure
Changing
Just thinking about seeing again
Loving
Oh, only a plumage and a skin suit Cover me and your voice
I brought my god with me In case we both lose our way
The air is so dense
I can't even breathe
I search in the air for another kiss
Or something random
Maybe I won't find That subtlety any more
Or the way to peel off my bark
Maybe I won't find That subtlety any more
Or the way to peel off my bark
Go, champions!
WORLD CHAMPIONS
Well, I think I can, right?
You have the right.
Now I have the right, don't I?
In Argentina I was born Land of Diego and Lionel
And the young men of Malvinas Whom I will never forget
I can't explain it to you Because you wouldn't understand
How many years I cried For the finals that we lost
But that's all over Because in the Maracanã
In the final against the Brazilians "Daddy" won again
Guys
Now we can dream again
I want to win the third star
I want to be a world champion
And Diego
We can see him up in heaven
With Don Diego and with La Tota
All rooting for Lionel
Argentina!
Go, Argentina, go!
Guys
Now we can dream again
I want to win the third star
I want to be a world champion
And Diego
We can see him up in heaven
With Don Diego and with La Tota
All rooting for Lionel
And to be world champions again
With Leo Messi
We'll take a victory lap!
Come on! Yeah!
Go, champions!
If you don't jump It means you're French!