Argentina Wins World Cup Transcript

What are you seeing?

It is complete chaos here in a great way in Argentina. Usually the economy’s a mess, but today it’s all about euphoria, happiness, joy, people are celebrating. I even saw earlier a married couple that was in their wedding outfit from yesterday, still partying in the streets with everyone. It is a magical moment here in Buenos Aires and a much needed distraction from all the day-to-day life here with the economy.

Yeah, as you mentioned, just skyrocketing inflation near 100%, long-standing political polarization as well. This is a meaningful victory for Argentinians.

I think unlike maybe other countries since Argentina is such a football or soccer obsessed country, this win is going to carry for a good while, certainly until New Year into the holidays. But going in into next year, obviously the reality will set back in, and Argentina has to face some difficult times. Inflation’s going to stay around 100% or higher throughout next year. We have a presidential election, which always tends to throw a lot of volatility into the economy, into markets. So this is a joyous moment, a wonderful distraction for Argentine. But reality’s going to sit back in once we get into 2023.

But at least now for now, and tonight it’s a day of celebration. And really it was a personal victory for Lionel Messi, right? This could be his last World Cup.

Absolutely. Today is really not only a celebration for the country and the team, but for Lionel Messi’s legacy. It was his fifth World Cup. He’s 35 years old. He already said this was going to be his last World Cup tournament. So for him to go out with a victory, he had played sort of in the shadow of the great Argentine legend, Diego Maradona for so many years, and he was somewhat criticized for not being able to win a World Cup like Maradona had won. And now Messi steps out of that shadow today and cements his legacy, if not on the world stage as one of the best players then certainly in Argentine history.