World Cup

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World Cup | Final

Dec 18, 2022 at 3pm UK

Lusail Iconic Stadium

Argentina
3 - 3
France

Messi (23' pen., 108'), di Maria (36')
Fernandez (45+7'), Acuna (90+8'), Paredes (114'), Montiel (116'), Martinez (126')

FT
(aet)

Mbappe (80' pen., 81', 118' pen.)
Rabiot (55'), Thuram (87'), Giroud (90+5')

Argentina win 4-2 on penalties

Argentina vs. France: A look at Argentina's record in past World Cup finals

By Barney Corkhill, Editor

Published: December 17 2022 | 21:32

Last updated: December 18 2022 | 07:27

Ahead of Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and France, Sports Mole looks back on Argentina's record from their six previous World Cup finals.

Argentina will grace the grandest stage in football for a sixth time on Sunday, taking on France in the 2022 World Cup final.

La Albiceleste have not got their hands on the trophy since 1986 despite reaching two finals since then, with Germany proving to be their Achilles heel on both occasions.

Indeed, Argentina have lost three of their previous five appearances in the final of a World Cup, dating all the way back to the first-ever edition when they were beaten by Uruguay.

A memorable triumph on home turf in 1978 saw them crowned world champions for the first time before their unforgettable journey to glory eight years later, but the biggest prize in the sport has since eluded them.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look back at each of their previous five World Cup final appearances.

1930: Lost 4-2 vs. Uruguay

Argentina have the bittersweet honour of being the first runners-up in World Cup history, having lost 4-2 to fierce rivals Uruguay in the final of the inaugural edition in 1930.

Hosts Uruguay only needed to play three games en route to the final, beating Peru, Romania and Yugoslavia, while Argentina secured wins over France, Mexico, Chile and USA to set up a repeat of the 1928 Olympic gold medal match at the Estadio Centenario.

Uruguay took the lead through Pablo Dorado after only 12 minutes, but Argentina turned things around before half time courtesy of strikes from Carlos Peucelle and tournament top-scorer Guillermo Stabile.

The second half belonged to the home side, though, as they scored three unanswered goals to run out 4-2 winners, Jose Nasazzi becoming the first captain to get his hands on the Jules Rimet trophy.

1978: Won 3-1 vs. Netherlands (after extra time)

Following the disappointment of 1930, it took 48 years for Argentina to make it back to the World Cup final, although it may well have been worth the wait.

This time boasting the home advantage themselves, a Mario Kempes-inspired Argentina team came through two group stages to book their spot in the final, beating Hungary, France, Poland and Peru, but losing to Italy and drawing with Brazil.

The images of the subsequent 'Ticker Tape' final against Netherlands will be forever etched into the minds of every Argentine watching on the day, as they edged an ill-tempered affair 3-1 after extra time.

In keeping with his excellent performances throughout the tournament, Kempes opened the scoring with a clinical finish seven minutes before half time, but Netherlands almost broke the hosts' hearts with a late comeback in normal time.

Dick Nanninga levelled things up in the 82nd minute before Rob Rensenbrink came within inches of stealing the victory with an effort that came back off the post.

Extra time was required, and once again it was Kempes to the rescue as he restored Argentina's lead in the 105th minute, albeit aided by a lucky ricochet in the process of scoring.

There was also an element of fortune about Argentina's third as Daniel Bertoni wrapped up the victory five minutes before the end.

1986: Won 3-2 vs. West Germany

Argentina's Diego Maradona lifts the World Cup trophy after helping his team to the 1986 title © Reuters

The 1986 World Cup will forever be associated with Diego Maradona courtesy of his virtuoso performances throughout the tournament, in particular against England in the quarter-finals and Belgium in the semis.

The presence of Lothar Matthaus for West Germany largely nullified the Argentine icon in the final itself, although he would still manage to have a decisive impact with a perfectly-weighted, defence-splitting through-ball sending Jorge Burruchaga through on goal to score the winner in the 86th minute.

That goal capped off a dramatic 10-minute spell which had already seen Germany come from two goals down, Argentina having taken a seemingly commanding lead through strikes from Jose Luis Brown and Jorge Valdano either side of half time.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge pulled one back in the 74th minute before Rudi Voller levelled things up just seven minutes after that, but parity lasted only three minutes before Burruchaga's World Cup-winning strike.

1990: Lost 1-0 vs. West Germany

Four years later, the same two sides renewed hostilities on the grandest stage for the first repeat of a final in World Cup history, and what remains the only back-to-back World Cup finals involving the same two teams.

This time the result was different, though, and the spectacle was much less enjoyable as only a late Andreas Brehme penalty separated the two sides in a cynical and ill-tempered final.

Indeed, in addition to becoming the first team to fail to score in a World Cup final despite still having Maradona in their ranks, Argentina also received the first two red cards to be handed out in the fixture, Pedro Monzon having the dubious distinction of being the first for a foul on Jurgen Klinsmann.

Gustavo Dezotti followed him into the changing rooms early in the 87th minute, two minutes after Brehme had scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot.

2014: Lost 1-0 vs. Germany

Mario Gotze (C) celebrates with team mates after scoring the first goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final © Reuters

Twenty-four years after their defeat in Rome, Argentina were once again on the end of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Germany in a World Cup final.

This time it was Lionel Messi rather than Maradona who was stifled throughout the 120 minutes, although the then-Barcelona maestro did have a chance to score early in the second half.

Ultimately it was an introduction from the bench which proved decisive, with Mario Gotze firing home the only goal of the game in the 113th minute - normal time ending without either team having registered on the scoreboard.

The defeat denied Argentina the chance to win the World Cup at the home of their bitter rivals Brazil, who themselves had fallen to Germany in the semi-finals in an infamous 7-1 humiliation.