Pa Doug McIntyre
Posted by FOX Sports Soccer
Editor’s note: Every day from now until the start of the first match World Cup 2022 On November 20, we will open another memory from the history of the World Cup. The countdown from 101 continues with Benjamin Pavard’s screamer against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup.
Every team that wins the World Cup has to be more than just great.
They also need luck so that the little things in the biggest moments fall just right. Looking back of France run to the title in 2018, the moment that stands out was not the victory in the final against Croats. It was three do-or-die matches earlier, vs Lionel Messi and Argentina in the round of 16.
Antoine Griezmann in the first half, the French favorite took a 1:0 lead from the penalty spot. But after Angel Di Maria and Gabriel Mercado scored by Argentina either side of the break, Les Bleus were about half an hour away from elimination. France needed a break. They got it from an unlikely source: the quarterback Benjamin Pavard.
The right-back has never scored an international goal before. At club level, he managed just two goals in four seasons as a senior professional. But in the biggest game of his career as his side trailed in the knockout stages on the biggest stage, Pavad stepped up to Lucas Hernández’s wayward cross at the top of the Albiceleste box, pulled back with his right foot and sliced a seemingly off-target shot. which curled into the far post to level the score at 2-2.
It was a goal any forward would be proud of. And that changed everything for France. When the momentum is back on their side, it’s time Kylian Mbappe strikes over the next 11 minutes made it 4-2 to Les Bleus, who held on for the win before going on to make it three more against Uruguay, Belgium and the Croatians to claim their second title. The amazing – and perhaps more importantly, timely equalizer – was later awarded the goal of the tournament.
Benjamin Pavard’s Rocket
Benjamin Pavar scored an unreal goal against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup.
One of North America’s leading soccer journalists, Doug McIntyre has covered the United States men’s and women’s national teams at numerous FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer for ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Written by Doug McIntyre.
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