Argentina and the penalties in the World Cups: a weapon that has led them to fight for the title

Football is like that, incredible, unmanageable. Argentina led 2-0 with an assist and a great goal from Lionel Messibut the Netherlands matched it in just 18 minutes -and a goal in the last play- to send the game to extra time and then to penalties that ended with victory for the South Americans. The Qatar 2022 World Cup and its most heart-stopping match, more than the Croatia vs. Brazil who had emotions in extra time.

The albiceleste team met an old acquaintance. A Netherlands -then we called him the Netherlands- faced him in Brazil 2014, the edition in which Leo was inches from glory. They were semifinals. And he was also defined by penalties. This time, eight later, in Qatar, they faced each other again but in the quarterfinals. And the game again to the definition from the twelve steps.

Perhaps marked by what happened in the America’s Cup 2021, against Colombia, this Argentine team knew that penalties were a feasible way. Even more so if the World Cup history is known:

And the trend continued its course. The box led by Lionel Scaloni took the agonizing triumph with perfect executions from the twelve passes. Starting by Lionel Messiwho showed that he is in his world, and ending in Lautaro Martinezwho sealed the victory.

Separate paragraph deserves the Dibu Martinez, an expert in this type of situation. If to Colombia, with the “look how I eat you, brother”, he took two penalties; in view of Netherlands He did the same and stopped the first two shots to give his teammates the necessary cushion so they can ensure victory.

How did Argentina do in the penalties?

Throughout the history of the World Cups, Argentina He defined six games by penalties. From the first time in the World Cup in Italy in 1990 to this Saturday against the Netherlands for Qatar 2022. She only lost once.

In Italy 90, with Diego Armando Maradona As leader, the Albiceleste came to execution from twelve passes in the quarterfinals (against Yugoslavia) and in the semifinals (against England), winning on both occasions although in the final they lost to Germany.

The only time they lost was in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, precisely against the host. That time the South American team had a Messi who did not enter the game and saw his team leave the tournament in the quarterfinals.

In Brazil 2014 they met in the semifinals and the match -remembered for Mascherano’s removal of Robben- was tied without goals in 120 minutes. And in the penalty shootout, Chiquito Romero was the hero, saving two penalties, just like Dibu Martínez in Qatar.

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