Argentina Goes for Its Fourth Star: Montiel Starts in a Historic World Cup Final

A Big Day in New Jersey

The Argentina National Team (called "Selección Argentina") is having a history-making day in New Jersey, United States. This Sunday, the team will play the World Cup final against Spain. They want to win their fourth star for their badge (that means winning the World Cup for the 4th time).

The coach, Lionel Scaloni, decided that Gonzalo Montiel will start the game as a regular player from the beginning.

Important: Montiel plays for River Plate (a famous Argentine club), and his starting spot was earned by playing really well when given chances during the tournament.

How Montiel Earned His Spot

Montiel is a right-side defender (think of him as the player who guards and runs along the right edge of the field). He got the chance to play the most important match from the first minute because:

• He played well in the minutes he was given throughout the whole tournament.
• Except for the first game against Algeria (where he started), he always came into the game when things were tough.

Here are the tricky moments he entered:

• Came in when the score was 2-2 against Cabo Verde
• Came in when it was 0-2 against Egypt
• Came in when it was 1-1 against Switzerland
• Came in when it was 0-1 against England

In all of those, he helped the team by creating chances on the right side, and his attacking runs gave the team a boost to either untangle the game or come back to win.

Important: In the semifinal against England, he showed he was solid on defense, brave going forward, and even took the ball from a star player (Jude Bellingham) on the side during the last-minute 2-1 win by Lautaro Martínez. That locked in his starter role over Nahuel Molina.

He also gave a pass (assist) to Lionel Messi in the famous comeback against Egypt for a 2-2 tie.

Montiel: From 2022 Penalty Hero to Second Straight Final

Montiel (age 29, nicknamed "Cachete") will play his second World Cup final in a row.

Back in Qatar 2022, against France at Lusail Stadium:

1. The game ended 3-3 after a wild match (Argentina led 2-0, then Mbappé tied it).
2. It went to extra time, and still 3-3.
3. Penalty shootout came: Argentina scored all, France missed two thanks to goalie Dibu Martínez.
4. Montiel took the last penalty, shot to the right corner past goalie Lloris, and caused joy for nearly 50 million people.
5. He became immortal in Argentine football history.

Montiel’s Numbers With Argentina

• He will play his 45th match for Argentina, and his 10th in World Cups.
• He debuted in early 2019 in a friendly in Madrid vs Venezuela (lost 1-3), after winning the 2018 Copa Libertadores with River.
• He has 2 goals in normal time (vs Curazao 2023, Puerto Rico 2025) plus the assist vs Egypt in this World Cup.

The Argentina Lineup

Here is who starts:

• Goalkeeper: Dibu Martínez
• Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Tagliafico
• Midfielders: Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolás González
• Forwards: Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez

When and Where to Watch Argentina vs Spain

• Time: 4:00 PM (Argentine time) on Sunday.
• TV: Telefé, TV Pública, DirecTV, TyC Sports.
• Streaming: Disney+ (premium plan), DGO, Paramount+, and La Página Millonaria’s YouTube channel.

Summary

Argentina faces Spain in a historic World Cup final in New Jersey. Coach Scaloni picked River’s Gonzalo Montiel as a starter because he was great when coming off the bench in hard moments. Montiel, who scored the winning penalty in the 2022 final, now plays his second straight final and looks to help Argentina win a fourth star. The match is at 4 PM AR time and is on many TV and streaming options.

FAQ

1. Why is Montiel starting the final?
Because he played very well in the minutes he got during the tournament, especially in tough moments, and was key against England.

2. What is Montiel famous for in 2022?
He scored the final penalty against France to win the World Cup.

3. How can I watch the final?
On TV via Telefé, TV Pública, DirecTV, TyC Sports, or streaming on Disney+, DGO, Paramount+, and YouTube.

4. What is Argentina trying to win?
Their fourth World Cup title (the "fourth star" on their badge).