Soccer is a game of small margins. And so, to persevere is an important team skill. The recent World Cup triumph of Argentina displayed the grit and unity required to be on top. However, the result of their performance was not just overnight success. It took a lot of sacrifice from senior players, says one of Lionel Messi’s teammates.

Things could have been different for soccer and Argentina fans if Messi had not come back from retirement in 2016. Carrying the entire nation’s burden, the Albeceleste made sure it found the right balance between determination and composure to end their 33-year-long exile.

Argentina’s current success is due to their earlier experiences, says defender.

After the loss in the 2014 final against Germany, Argentina had to start their journey anew. The loss, however, did not lead to seniors putting more pressure on the youngsters. This helped with the formation of the current team, says Nicolás Tagliafico. The defender, who was a key part of the 2022 triumphant squad, said that the team has only moved upward since the 2014 loss.

Tagliafico said, “Perhaps those times we were fortunate in that we did not suffer so much pressure from the press, and without many repercussions, we were building brick by brick.“

The 31-year-old says that young players are allowed to show their skill and what they do at their clubs in the Argentine camp. Additionally, he also claimed to have had a similar leisure in 2018, where most of the senior players took responsibility. This allowed them to build a strong and determined unit.

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Meanwhile, Argentina had a good balance of seniors and juniors in their squad, with many players ready to go the extra mile for the team, especially Messi. Players like Lisandro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Rodrigo de Paul played a vital role in winning the trophy. Much of this can be attributed to the seniors absorbing the pressure, says Tagliafico.

2014 World Cup loss and Lionel Messi a driving force for the Qatar campaign

Argentina’s recent win in 2022 may have sidelined their loss in 2014. The disappointment at the Maracana deferred the celebrations by 8 years, and the onus was on the seniors, including Messi to shake things up. The team had lost the final to Germany by the slightest of margins, with Mario Gotze foiling Argentine dreams in the dying minutes of extra time.

Subsequently, the whole set of fans, including Diego Maradona, were disappointed with Argentina, and especially Messi. It led to a lot of criticism for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Tagliafico also claimed the team would have had similar success to the current one if they had won the World Cup in 2014. These struggles gave the next generation a vision to achieve, and for Argentina and Lionel Messi, it turned out to be a long journey culminating into success in Qatar.

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