The 2022 World Cup final will go down in history as one of the greatest ever, as Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after the scoreline was locked at 3-3 at the end of extra time. And, Gonzalo Montiel will forever be remembered as the player who scored the winning spot kick, with the Sevilla FC right-back displaying cool confidence to send France captain Hugo Lloris the wrong way and to kickstart the celebrations.
Not only was it a historic penalty, but it was also a brilliantly executed one. The full-back didn’t even look at Lloris and, with the world watching, he focused solely on the ball, dispatching a solid and sure kick to his left.
That made it 10 penalties converted from 10 penalties attempted in the 25-year-old’s career, after he started taking spot kicks while working under Marcelo Gallardo at River Plate. “We were nervous and I couldn’t watch, but he has ice in his veins,” Montiel’s mother said after the victory.
Montiel was able to celebrate becoming world champion alongside his Sevilla FC club teammates Marcos Acuna and Papu Gomez, who also made significant contributions during the tournament. In total, there were 10 La Liga players in the triumphant Albiceleste squad, more than from any other league, as Lionel Scaloni had also called up Atletico de Madrid’s Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul and Angel Correa, Real Betis’s German Pezzella and Guido Rodriguez and Villarreal CF’s Geronimo Rulli and Juan Foyth, in addition to the Sevilla FC trio.
Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2022: I want to keep experiencing more matches as world champion: Lionel Messi
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