List of FIFA World Cups Won by Argentina in 18 Appearances
List of FIFA World Cups Won by Argentina in 18 Appearances
Argentina is renowned for its outstanding accomplishments on the global stage and is one of the most successful teams in FIFA World Cup history. Having won three World Cups (1978, 1986 and 2022), Argentina has cemented its status as one of the best teams in sports. Nicknamed La Albiceleste, the national team of Argentina won its first match in 1978 under the leadership of Daniel Passarella. Legendary victories in 1986 under Diego Maradona and in 2022 under Lionel Messi were the next to come.
Apart from these titles, Argentina has finished as runner-up three times: in 1930, 1990, and 2014. The Argentina squad has won 47 of its 88 games in their 18 World Cup appearances. Argentina has only missed out on four tournaments, trailing just behind football giants Brazil and Germany in terms of total appearances.
Argentina pulled out of the World Cup of football in 1938, 1950, and 1954 for political and hosting rights disputes. Due to the Second World War, there was no FIFA World Cup in 1942 or 1946, hence the team was not allowed to compete for 24 years.
For the first and only time, the South American football giants were not selected for the quadrennial event in 1970.
But Argentina’s football journey began to take off in the 1970s, and during the next several years, the country rose to the top of the sport.
List of FIFA World Cups Won by Argentina
Titles | Opponents | Captains | Scores |
FIFA World Cup 1978 | Netherlands | Daniel Passarella | 3-1 |
FIFA World Cup 1986 | West Germany | Diego Maradona | 3-2 |
FIFA World Cup 2022 | France | Lionel Messi | 3-3 (4-2 Penalties) |
1. Argentina Wins the 1978 FIFA World Cup Final Against Netherlands
In an exciting match of the 1978 FIFA World Cup final which took place on June 25, 1978, at the legendary Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Netherlands faced against the host country, Argentina. Argentina won their first-ever World Cup, beating the Netherlands 3-1 in extra time in front of a jubilant home crowd.
The Controversial Final
Controversy enveloped the 1978 final from the start. Argentina was allegedly using stalling tactics to build tension in front of the hostile Buenos Aires crowd, according to the Dutch. Further delays were brought on by a disagreement regarding Rene van de Kerkhof’s wrist cast, which had been authorized in earlier games.
Sergio Gonella, the referee, took Argentina’s side, which made Van de Kerkhof apply extra bandages. Even though the Netherlands made threats to walk off the field, the game eventually started, albeit tensely.
Intense atmosphere and a lot of fouls were seen in the game. Mario Kempes scored the first goal of the game from 12 yards out, putting the ball past Dutch goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed. Just before the half, Ubaldo Fillol made a fantastic stop to deny Rob Rensenbrink’s attempt, which would have tied the score for the Netherlands. The game went into extra time after Dick Nanninga, a replacement, knocked in the equalizer in the 82nd minute. In the last seconds, Rensenbrink had a chance to win the game, but his shot struck the post.
Kempes scored the game-winning goal in extra time by slicing past two Dutch players in the 105th minute. Kempes was given credit for the goal despite several deflections, and it finally confirmed Argentina’s title as winners. Argentina won 3-1 thanks to a third goal from Daniel Bertoni in the second half of extra time.
2. 1986 FIFA World Cup Final: Argentina vs West Germany
Argentina defeated West Germany 3-2 in the exciting 1986 FIFA World Cup final, which took place on June 29, 1986, at Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca. Attendees for this historic encounter numbered 114,600, making it one of the most memorable World Cup finals ever. With this victory, Argentina won their second ever FIFA World Cup title.
Match Analysis
The final itself was a tightly contested affair, filled with excitement and tension. Jose Luis Brown headed in a free kick in the 23rd minute to give Argentina the lead, taking advantage of a mistake made by West German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher. Argentina had a 1-0 lead at the half.
Jorge Valdano’s well-placed shot early in the second half gave Argentina a two goal lead following a deft run. But West Germany pulled off a late comeback, with goals from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in the 74th and Rudi Voller’s close-range header in the 81st.
Diego Maradona was highly marked the entire game, but in the eighty-fourth minute, he made an important contribution. Argentina won 3-2 thanks to his precisely timed pass to Jorge Burruchaga, who scored the match-winning goal.
A record six yellow cards were given out during the match, two of which were given to Argentine players for wasting time. Eight years after winning their first World Cup in 1978, Argentina celebrated their second victory when the final whistle blew.
3. 2022 FIFA World Cup Final: A Historic Showdown Between Argentina and France
The 2022 FIFA World Cup final featured a historic match between Argentina and the reigning champions, France. It took place on December 18, 2022, at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. With a record-breaking 1.5 billion viewers, this match coincided with Qatar’s National Day and became one of the most viewed sporting events in history.
Match Analysis
Argentina seized the lead right away when Lionel Messi scored a penalty in the 23rd minute following a foul on Angel Di Maria in the box. In the 36th minute, Di Maria scored a crisp shot to cap off a quick counterattack and increase the lead to 2-0.
Before Kylian Mbappe turned the game around with a spectacular brace in 97 seconds, leveling the score at 2-2 in the 81st minute, France was unable to generate any sort of response. Messi gave Argentina a 3-2 lead during extra time, but Mbappe scored another penalty to complete his hat-trick and draw the game at 3-3—a feat last accomplished by Geoff Hurst in 1966.
Argentina secured their third World Cup victory and their first since 1986 after winning a 4-2 penalty shootout to determine the final result.
Millions of people all throughout the world were enthralled with the spectacle that was the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, not just the match. This final will be remembered for its drama, excitement, and historical significance in the history of football because to the outstanding performances of Messi and Mbappe.
