Argentina‘s run at Qatar 2022 may have not started according to plan, but the ending was just howthey’ve imagined it. Even if they had to sweat more than expected, Lionel Messi and company got the job done and brought home the FIFA World Cup trophy.
Truth is La Albiceleste had to overcome serious challenges along the way, including a hard-foughtquarterfinal against the Netherlands. The final vs. France was not as heated as that game, but it was still dramatic.
With the stakes being so high, there was tension between both sides. In the end, it was Argentina who got to celebrate, not without mocking French star Kylian Mbappe. Nearly a month later, Cristian Romero revealed why he rubbed Messi’s extra time goal on his face.
Cuti Romero reveals why he celebrated in Kylian Mbappe’s face
When it looked like France were coming back from a two-goal deficit,Messi restored the lead for Argentina in overtime. In that moment, Cuti Romero went directly towardsMbappe after he allegedly disrespected one of his teammates.
“I yelledthe goal in Mbappe’s face because Enzo [Fernandez] had talked to him and Mbappe treated him very badly,” Romero toldArgentine radio station DSports. “So my reaction was to celebrate Leo’s goal in his face.”
Mbappe would tie the game shortly after, forcing the penalty shootout. He even scored his spot-kick, but it was still not enough as Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed, while Argentina scored all their shots. Mbappe was later targetedby the Argentines, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez leading the mockery.