The semifinals of the tournament weren’t as even as they were supposed to be. Argentina defeated Croatia 3-0 in the Qatar 2022 World Cup to move on in the draw. One of the main points was their head coach Lionel Scaloni doing something Franz Beckenbauer did for Germany 36 years ago.

This run has been special for the Argentinians since they hired their current head coach in a not ideal situation. Scaloni wasn’t on the radar after Jorge Sampaoli’s exit in 2018, but he was given the job temporarily while the search went on.

Although the team started to play very well with him on charge. Following a Copa America elimination in the semifinals, they returned to that competition in 2021 to get the title in Brazil. That left Scaloni more than confirmed as a full-time coach, and now he tied a record set by soccer legend Beckenbauer.

What feat did Argentina’s coach Scaloni achieve?

Argentina’s win over Croatia in the semifinals put Scaloni at the center. He wasn’t seen as a potential national team coach in the beginning not because lack of preparation. His past as a player with plenty of experience was something favorable, but he didn’t have any coaching background.

That was deemed irrelevant given how the team responded. By having an amazing Qatar 2022 World Cup, he set a new mark. With that win vs the Croatians, Scaloni reached the final of this prestigious tournament in his first coaching job.

This impressive feat was also done before by non-other that Beckenbauer when he took Germany to the last game in Mexico 1986. That time the Germans lost to the Argentinians 3-2. In this occasion the rival will be the winner of France vs Morocco in the other side of the semifinals.