Argentinas last World Cup final in 2014

Argentina and Lionel Me si will seek to bury the memory of their 2014 World Cup final defeat to Germany when they face France in the closing game of Qatar 2022.The story of how Argentina lost the Maracana showpiece eight years ago is a painful one for the Albiceleste and their supporters, and particularly for Me si, who has (so far) never come closer to guiding his country to a first World Cup win since 1986.As Me si prepares to set the record straight against France at Lusail Stadium, The Anthony Gose Jersey Sporting News takes a look back at Argentina's most recent involvement in football's biggest game. The build-up to the 2014 World Cup final focused on Lionel Me si's plight, as he sought to cement his status as one of the all-time great players by following in the footsteps of Diego Maradona and winning a World Cup for Argentina.But Me si's outstanding group-stage form had deserted him in the knockouts, and both he and fellow forward Gonzalo Higuain mi sed key opportunities as Argentina fell to a 1-0 defeat after extra time in the final against Germany.MORE: Former Real Madrid, Napoli and Juventus striker Higuain suffered one of the low points of his career after just 20 minutes of the 2014 World Cup final, when he had a golden opportunity to put Argentina in front.Germany's Toni Kroos headed the ball calamitously in behind his own backline and Higuain latched onto it, advancing on the German penalty area with only goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to beat.It looked as though he had time to take a touch and place his shot, but Higuain instead snatched at his attempt and sent the ball rolling harmle sly wide from the Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey edge of the box.Higuain put the ball in the net 10 minutes later but the goal was correctly ruled out because the then-Napoli marksman had strayed into an offside position in the build up.As the game progre sed and Argentina's chances waned before Mario Gotze's eventual winner for Germany in extra time, Higuain was left to rue perhaps the worst 45 minutes of his superb career. Getty Images MORE: The first 45 minutes of the 2014 World Andy Pettitte Jersey Cup final presented Me si and Argentina with ample opportunity to stamp their authority on the game.While Germany dominated po se sion, Joachim Low's men made several errors and Me si was able to expose weakne ses in their defence.Me si got the better of Mats Hummels inside the opening 10 minutes of the game and had a pa s to Ezequiel Lavezzi cut out by Bastian Schweinsteiger as Argentina threatened.Higuain's disallowed goal also came from a move that began with a smart piece of control that took Me si away from Jerome Boateng and allowed him to play Lavezzi in down the right flank.Me si's best attempt on goal in the first half was blocked Justin Verlander Jersey by Schweinsteiger, but after the interval he found himself clean through on the German goal before firing narrowly wide with his angled shot.From that point onwards, Argentina's momentum seemed to ebb away, until Gotze's extra-time strike broke their hearts, and when Me si was presented with a chance to level with a late free-kick, he ballooned his shot high over the cro sbar.Argentina will play the 6th World Cup final in their history on Sunday:1930 Defeat 1978 Winners 1986 Winners 1990 Defeat 2014 Defeat 2022 | Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) Me si expre sed a mixture of emotions in the aftermath of his first World Cup final, taking some of the responsibility for Argentina's defeat on his own shoulders.Then 27, Me si was awarded the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament, emerging from the 2014 World Cup with four goals, one a sist and the most chances created of any player at the tournament.Having helped his nation to the semifinals and beyond for the first time since 1990, Me si told reporters: "We havent been in Josh Reddick Jersey the semifinals for many years and the fact that we played the final and the way we played it is something to be proud of."But we deserved more and that's why we're sad. The strikers mi sed the chances we had."Its a bad feeling for all of us because we couldn't win the cup and take it to our people."MORE: