Argentina’s World Cup Winning Habit: A Persistent Struggle Despite Victories

The reigning world champions, Argentina, have established a concerning habit of making their FIFA World Cup victories far more challenging than they need to be. This pattern, evident across multiple tournaments, has resurfaced in their recent World Cup campaign, prompting analysis of potential complacency, fatigue, or deeper tactical and mental issues within the squad.

A History of Complications

This tendency to complicate games is not new for Argentina. At the previous World Cup, the Albiceleste squandered leads on four separate occasions. Their opening game saw them lose 2-1 to Saudi Arabia after taking an early lead. In the quarter-finals against the Netherlands, they surrendered a 2-0 advantage, ultimately needing penalties to advance. The final itself was a dramatic affair, with Argentina leading comfortably before a Kylian Mbappé-inspired comeback forced extra time and another penalty shootout. Even their first knockout tie in the current tournament, an eventual 2-1 win over Australia, saw them concede late on after appearing to be in control.

Recent Struggles Against Cape Verde

The match against Cape Verde exemplified this recurring issue. Argentina took the lead, only to switch off defensively and concede. This sequence repeated itself, forcing goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez into crucial saves to prevent a third goal. Head coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged the team faced “tough blows” and admitted he did not anticipate a straightforward match, but the question remains: why the persistent struggle?

Tactical and Mental Considerations

Several factors are being considered to explain Argentina’s game-state problem. While conserving energy for a physically demanding knockout stage is understandable, doing so to the point of sloppiness is counterproductive. Scaloni pointed to the short turnaround between matches as a factor, but noted the starting XI had been rested for the final group game.

Lionel Messi himself offered a rare tactical critique, highlighting issues with pressing and defensive lines being too far apart. Argentina’s attacking strategy often relies on sudden bursts of energy, epitomised by Messi’s opener against Cape Verde. However, when opponents are forced to push forward, Argentina appear content to sit deep, defending their box effectively but for extended periods. This allows opponents to find gaps or produce spectacular goals, as seen with Deroy Duarte’s and Sidny Cabral’s strikes.

Lack of Counter-Attack Threat

A significant observation is Argentina’s diminished threat on the counter-attack. Their wide players are described as more languid, preferring passing combinations over explosive sprints. Messi, while still a creative force, lacks the explosive pace for rapid breaks. This tactical setup means the striker alongside him must focus on defensive duties, unable to exploit space behind the defence.

Resilience Despite the Struggles

Despite these self-inflicted challenges, Argentina have consistently shown resilience. They responded impressively to both equalisers against Cape Verde, dominating possession and limiting opposition chances. Their goals came from set pieces, a reflection of their sustained pressure. Scaloni drew parallels to their Qatar campaign, emphasizing the team’s continued effort to score and their increased experience. Cape Verde’s manager, Bubista, succinctly noted that Argentina “showed why they’re world champions,” but also why they needed penalty shootouts to secure the title.

Key facts

This ongoing pattern raises questions about Argentina’s ability to maintain their championship form under pressure. While their ability to eventually secure victories is undeniable, the repeated need to overcome self-imposed difficulties could prove costly in the later stages of major tournaments. The team’s tactical approach and mental fortitude will be under scrutiny as they progress deeper into the World Cup.

Source: The Athletic Football – https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7420722/2026/07/03/argentina-world-cup-matches-struggle/