Lionel Scaloni, the head coach of Argentina, expressed his pride in his team's tenacity in defeating France in the World Cup final.
Despite La Albiceleste leading the 2018 champions 2-0, Kylian Mbappe's two goals forced extra time. And then, after 108 minutes, Lionel Messi made it 3-2; nevertheless, Mbappe came back at the last end to force penalties.
In the end, though, Argentina triumphed, defeating their opponents in a 4-2 shootout victory to win their third World Cup and first in 36 long years.
After the historic victory, a heartbroken Scaloni was open with reporters, saying: "I cannot believe that we have endured so much in a flawless game. Unbelievable, but this squad always answers.
“I am proud of the work they did. It is an exciting group," he added: "With the blows, we received today, with the draws, this makes you emotional. I want to tell people to enjoy it; it’s a historic moment for our country.”
44-year-old Scaloni took charge of Argentina in 2018, having been promoted from his position as manager of the country's under-20 side.
Capped seven times in his playing days, Scaloni's coaching career hadn't set the world alight before taking the job. That all changed, though, when he led the country to the 2021 Copa America and embarked on a 36-game unbeaten run heading into the 2022 World Cup.