The Significance of the Finalissima to Argentina and Italy

With a live audience of 87,000 fans, the first Finalissima since 1993 occurred on June 1, 2022. The match consisted of the Argentinian champions of the Copa America 2020 and the reigning champions of the Euro 2020 facing off in the world renowned Wembley Stadium. The first goal of the match was scored 28 minutes into the game by Lautaro Martínez, igniting a sense of hope within the Argentinian side. Shortly after, just before the half-time whistle, Ángel Di María chipped the ball over the grasp of the Italian goalkeeper, setting the score at 2-0 in favor of the South American nation. Finally, four minutes into stoppage time, Paulo Dybala sealed a victory for Argentina, scoring the third and final goal of the game.

Over the course of the past decade, the Argentinian soccer team has struggled to secure an international trophy, coming so close, yet so far, on several occasions. First came a devastating loss in the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil as the Argentinian side lost by only a single goal to the victorious Germans. Also, in 2016, Chile defeated Argentina in the Copa America finals in an intense penalty shootout. Then, most recently, Argentina were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup Round of 16 against the French, who would go on to win the tournament. However, after years of loss, Argentina has had the good fortune to finally come out victorious in the Copa America and, now, the Finalissima. With these recent victories and a squad eager for more, the Argentinian national team has a bright future ahead of them.

On the other hand, the recent losses for the Italian team depict a far more troubling future. As Italy overcame a formidable English force in the Euro 2020 finals, the expectations for the national team skyrocketed. Unfortunately, following the abrupt conclusion of their 37 game win-streak in the Nations League semi-finals, the Italian team began to lose its momentum. In the months to come, the Italians would fail to qualify for the upcoming Qatar World Cup in an unexpecting loss to North Macedonia. Now, this loss in the Finalissima has only further damaged the morale of the Italian team.

Overall, the Argentinian national team is prospering in various competitions with positive spirits and an ever growing trophy case. Conversely, the Italian team is in need of reflection, as the Italian manager Roberto Mancini put it, “The squad is tired, and it was always our intention to begin the process of change after this match.”

Sources:

https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/634540

MUHAMMAD GHANI

Writer at The City Voice

Hello, I am Muhammad Ghani and a Junior at City. Outside of school, I enjoy playing sports, such as soccer, and am interested in coding and digital art.