You Have To Kill Argentina Dead

Argentina is in the World Cup final for a second straight tournament.

Somehow, some way, that is a true statement.

After Cape Verde put the fear of god into the reigning champions, after Egypt had a 2-0 lead as late as https://defector.com/lionel-messi-refuses-to-let-time-win">the 79th minute, after Switzerland equalized and looked on the front foot in https://defector.com/argentina-switzerland-world-cup">the quarterfinal, and after England scored first in Wednesday's semifinal, through all it all, Argentina exhibited the kind of survival skills most often associated with crocodiles and https://defector.com/real-madrid-is-bulletproof">Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Many times throughout the knockout rounds, Argentina has looked as good as dead, staring face to face with the end of its hopes of becoming the first repeat champions in 64 years and the close of Lionel Messi's international career (I mean, I assume, but who knows with him; https://defector.com/lionel-messi-is-done-chasing-ghosts">I've been wrong before).

But as England found out on Wednesday, on death's door is where Argentina feels most alive.

On the brink of elimination, Argentina has consistently conjured magic, and now, after a 2-1 victory that looked impossible until it became reality, Argentina is one match away from immortality.