Honestly, if you weren’t screaming at your TV on December 18, 2022, were you even watching? It’s been a while now, but the dust hasn't really settled on what happened at Lusail Stadium. When we talk about the last world cup winner, we aren't just naming a team; we're talking about the day Argentina basically broke the internet and nearly everyone's heart in the process.
Most people remember the "bisht," that black mesh robe Lionel Messi wore while hoisting the trophy. Or maybe they remember Kylian Mbappé’s thousand-yard stare after scoring a hat-trick and still losing. But there is so much more to how Argentina actually pulled this off. It wasn’t just "Messi magic." It was a tactical masterclass by a guy, Lionel Scaloni, who many Argentinians didn't even want as coach in the beginning.
The Argentina Masterclass: How They Became the Last World Cup Winner
When the tournament started, Argentina looked like a disaster. Losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in the opening match? Total nightmare. Fans were ready to pack their bags. But that loss was probably the best thing that happened to them. It forced Scaloni to bench the "old guard" and bring in the kids—Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez.
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These guys changed everything. They gave Messi the legs he didn't have anymore.
By the time the final against France rolled around, Argentina wasn't just playing on vibes. They were clinical. For about 75 minutes, France was a ghost. They didn't even have a shot on goal. Think about that. The defending champions, with the best strike force in the world, were completely neutralized.
The Di María Gamble
One of the biggest "what-ifs" of the 2014 final was Ángel Di María being injured. In 2022, Scaloni threw a curveball that nobody saw coming. He put Di María on the left wing. Usually, "Fideo" plays on the right. This move absolutely cooked Jules Koundé and Ousmane Dembélé.
Di María won the penalty for the first goal and scored the second himself after a counter-attack that looked like it was played in fast-forward. It was pure poetry.
That 97-Second Heart Attack
You’ve seen the clips. Argentina is coasting. 2-0 up. The fans are already singing "Muchachos" like the game is over. Then, Kylian Mbappé decides he doesn't want to go home.
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- 80th minute: Mbappé hammers a penalty past Emi Martínez.
- 81st minute: Just 97 seconds later, he hits a volley so sweet it felt illegal.
Suddenly, it’s 2-2. The stadium goes silent, except for the tiny pocket of French fans who probably couldn't believe their luck. This is the part people get wrong about the last world cup winner: they didn't just win; they survived.
Extra time was even more chaotic. Messi scores in the 108th minute—the ball just barely crossing the line. You think it's done. Again. But then a handball gives France another penalty. Mbappé scores again. 3-3.
If Randal Kolo Muani scores that last-second breakaway in the 123rd minute, we aren't talking about Messi's legacy today. We’re talking about the greatest collapse in sports history. But Emi Martínez made "The Save." That left leg deserves its own statue in Buenos Aires.
The Numbers That Actually Matter
Sometimes stats are boring, but these are kinda wild:
- Lionel Messi became the first player to score in every single knockout round of a 32-team World Cup.
- Kylian Mbappé became only the second man to score a hat-trick in a final (after Geoff Hurst in 1966).
- Argentina has now won six penalty shootouts in World Cup history, which is more than any other nation.
Why Argentina Still Matters in 2026
We are heading toward the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, and people are still obsessing over Argentina's win. Why? Because it changed the "GOAT" conversation for good. Before this, there was always an asterisk next to Messi’s name. "He hasn't won the big one."
Now, he has. And he did it by playing 26 World Cup matches, breaking Lothar Matthäus’ record.
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But for the average fan, it’s about the drama. That final proved that international football is still the peak of the sport. No Champions League game, no matter how high-quality, has that level of raw, unadulterated "I might actually faint" tension.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Cycle
If you're following the road to the next tournament, here’s how to look at the last world cup winner as a blueprint:
- Watch the Youth Transition: Argentina won because they weren't afraid to start 21-year-olds like Enzo Fernández. Keep an eye on teams that integrate young talent early in qualifying.
- The "Scaloni" Effect: Tactical flexibility is king. Argentina switched from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 asymmetric shape just for the final to exploit France's weak right side.
- Goalkeeper Importance: Emi Martínez proved that a world-class "shithouse" keeper is worth 10 goals. Teams with penalty specialists in goal have a massive edge in the modern knockout format.
Argentina might not be the favorites to repeat in 2026—staying at the top is brutal—but they showed the world that a team built around a legend still needs a group of "workers" willing to run through brick walls for him.