How do they keep doing it?
Through adversity, through poor performances, and through — frankly — just not playing up to their potential, Argentina is back in the World Cup final.
After dispatching an befuddled England squad 2-1, Argentina celebrated and probably scratched their heads a bit and wondered, “How did we get here?”
After escaping against Cabo Verde (?!) and Egypt (!), and somehow almost giving away the quarterfinal against Switzerland, Argentina was always just able to cross the finish line,
but barely. Against England, Argentina appeared to be running on fumes and ready to succumb to the fatigue.
Still, here Argentina was down 1-0 to England with just a few minutes remaining in regulation and still not feeling like it was over or that this magical run across two World Cups was going to come to an end. Of course, Enzo Fernández, as solid a player as Argentina has in the midfield, and Lautaro Martínez, who only entered the game in the 81st minute, both scored to give Argentina yet another improbable win.
Of course, it was Lionel Messi who assisted on both goals to further cement his legacy as the G.O.A.T., but it was about more than Messi this time around. It was about the never-say-die mentality and about the ability to focus when the levels of tension and adversity were at their highest. It was about doing whatever it took to win.
Sure, Argentina is chippy, loud, cocky, and maybe even a little bit dirty, but they are one thing above all — a team. And sometimes, that is the most valuable weapon in a tournament like this.
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