World Cup countdown: 50 days, Argentina moment number 43, Gonzalo HIGUAIN

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As part of the 50 days, 50 Argentina World Cup moments, we will be counting down the top 50 Argentina moments at a World Cup using the daily number.

We are just 43 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup and in 43rd place we have Gonzalo HIGUAIN playing in his 43rd match for his country which happened to be the 2014 FIFA World Cup final. Not all World Cup moments are great and in this case, this match, was bitter sweet.

Playing in match number 43 of his Argentina career, Gonzalo HIGUAIN will try to remember and forget this one. It was Argentina’s first World Cup final since playing in Italy 1990 and unfortunately for the team and the fans, the result was the same.

A glorious opportunity fell to Gonzalo HIGUAIN (as well as Lionel MESSI and Rodrigo PALACIO). We all know what that chance was, there’s no need for us to go in detail.

However, HIGUAIN did score a goal and celebrated (rightfuly so) like a mad man along with Marcos ROJO. But the call was (once more, rightfuly) called for offside.

But with that said, as a fan, it felt great to see the country I grew up watching playin a final of a World Cup. I was too young for 1990 so I made sure to take 2014 all in. Hopefully this time around the team can make the final once more.

Here was Argentina’s starting XI for that match:

1. Sergio ROMERO
2. Ezequiel GARAY
4. Pablo ZABALETA
6. Lucas BIGLIA
8. Enzo PEREZ
9. Gonzalo HIGUAIN
10. Lionel MESSI
14. Javier MASCHERANO
15. Martin DEMICHELIS
16. Marcos ROJO
22. Ezequiel LAVEZZI

Gonzalo Higuaín: Argentina International Caps – Senior Level

# Opponent Competition Date Result
1 Peru 2010 World Cup Qualifiers October 10, 2009 Final 2-1 Argentina
2 Uruguay 2010 World Cup Qualifiers October 14, 2009 Final 1-0 Argentina
3 Spain Friendly November 14, 2009 Final 2-1 Spain
Catalonia Unofficial Friendly December 22, 2009 Final 4-2 Catalonia
4 Germany Friendly March 3, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
5 Canada Friendly May 24, 2010 Final 5-0 Argentina
6 Nigeria 2010 FIFA World Cup June 12, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
7 South Korea 2010 FIFA World Cup June 17, 2010 Final 4-1 Argentina
8 Mexico 2010 FIFA World Cup June 27, 2010 Final 3-1 Argentina
9 Germany 2010 FIFA World Cup July 3, 2010 Final 4-0 Germany
10 Republic of Ireland Friendly August 11, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
11 Spain Friendly September 7, 2010 Final 4-1 Argentina
12 Japan Friendly October 8, 2010 Final 1-0 Japan
13 Brazil Friendly November 17, 2010 Final 1-0 Argentina
14 Colombia 2011 Copa America July 6, 2011 Final 0-0 Draw
15 Costa Rica 2011 Copa America July 11, 2011 Final 3-0 Argentina
16 Uruguay 2011 Copa America July 16, 2011 Final (5-4 P) Uruguay
17 Venezuela Friendly September 2, 2011 Final 1-0 Argentina
18 Nigeria Friendly September 6, 2011 Final 3-1 Argentina
19 Chile 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 7, 2011 Final 4-1 Argentina
20 Venezuela 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 11, 2011 Final 1-0 Venezuela
21 Bolivia 2014 World Cup Qualifiers November 11, 2011 Final 1-1 Draw
22 Colombia 2014 World Cup Qualifiers November 15, 2011 Final 2-1 Argentina
23 Switzerland Friendly February 29, 2012 Final 3-1 Argentina
24 Ecuador 2014 World Cup Qualifiers June 2, 2012 Final 4-0 Argentina
25 Brazil Friendly June 9, 2012 Final 4-3 Argentina
26 Germany Friendly August 15, 2012 Final 3-1 Argentina
27 Paraguay 2014 World Cup Qualifiers September 7, 2012 Final 3-1 Argentina
28 Peru 2014 World Cup Qualifiers September 11, 2012 Final 1-1 Draw
29 Uruguay 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 12, 2012 Final 3-0 Argentina
30 Chile 2014 World Cup Qualifiers October 16, 2012 Final 2-1 Argentina
31 Sweden Friendly February 6, 2013 Final 3-2 Argentina
32 Venezuela 2014 World Cup Qualifiers March 22, 2013 Final 3-0 Argentina
33 Colombia 2014 World Cup Qualifiers June 7, 2013 Final 0-0 Draw
34 Italy Friendly August 14, 2013 Final 2-1 Argentina
35 Ecuador Friendly November 15, 2013 Final 0-0 Drwa
36 Romania Friendly March 5, 2014 Final 0-0 Draw
37 Bosnia-Herzegovina 2014 FIFA World Cup June 15, 2014 Final 2-1 Argentina
38 Iran 2014 FIFA World Cup June 21, 2014 Final 1-0 Argentina
39 Nigeria 2014 FIFA World Cup June 25, 2014 Final 3-2 Argentina
40 Switzerland 2014 FIFA World Cup July 1, 2014 Final 1-0 Argentina
41 Belgium 2014 FIFA World Cup July 5, 2014 Final 1-0 Argentina
42 Netherlands 2014 FIFA World Cup July 9, 2014 Final 0-0 (4-2 P) Argentina
43 Germany 2014 FIFA World Cup July 13, 2014 Final 1-0 Germany
44 Brazil Friendly October 11, 2014 Final 2-0 Brazil
45 Hong Kong Friendly October 14, 2014 Final 7-0 Argentina
46 Portugal Friendly November 18, 2014 Final 1-0 Portugal
47 El Salvador Friendly March 28, 2015 Final 2-0 Argentina
48 Bolivia Friendly June 6, 2015 Final 5-0 Argentina
49 Paraguay 2015 Copa America June 13, 2015 Final 2-2 Draw
50 Jamaica 2015 Copa America June 20, 2015 Final 1-0 Argentina
51 Paraguay 2015 Copa America June 30, 2015 Final 6-1 Argentina
52 Chile 2015 Copa America July 4, 2015 Final 0-0 (4-1 P) Chile
53 Brazil 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 13, 2015 Final 1-1 Draw
54 Colombia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 17, 2015 Final 1-0 Argentina
55 Chile 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 24, 2016 Final 2-1 Argentina
56 Bolivia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 29, 2016 Final 2-0 Argentina
57 Honduras Friendly May 27, 2016 Final 1-0 Argentina
58 Chile 2016 Copa America June 6, 2016 Final 2-1 Argentina
59 Panama 2016 Copa America June 10, 2016 Final 5-0 Argentina
60 Bolivia 2016 Copa America June 14, 2016 Final 3-0 Argentina
61 Venezuela 2016 Copa America June 18, 2016 Final 4-1 Argentina
62 United States 2016 Copa America June 21, 2016 Final 4-0 Argentina
63 Chile 2016 Copa America June 26, 2016 Final 0-0 (4-2 P) Chile
64 Peru 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 6, 2016 Final 2-2 Draw
65 Paraguay 2018 World Cup Qualifiers October 11, 2016 Final 1-0 Paraguay
66 Brazil 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 10, 2016 Final 3-0 Brazil
67 Colombia 2018 World Cup Qualifiers November 15, 2016 Final 3-0 Argentina
68 Chile 2018 World Cup Qualifiers March 23, 2017 Final 1-0 Argentina
69 Brazil Friendly June 9, 2017 Final 1-0 Argentina
70 Italy Friendly March 23, 2018 Final 2-0 Argentina

If you missed it, here are our 50 World Cup moments:
50: Sergio ROMERO gets 50th cap vs. Switzerland at 2014 FIFA World Cup.
49: Roberto AYALA scores in the 49th minute vs. Germany at 2006 FIFA World Cup.
48: Angel DI MARIA’s 48th cap for Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina at 2014 FIFA World Cup.
47: Mario KEMPES scores Argentina’s 47th goal all time at the 1978 FIFA World Cup vs. Peru.
46: Jorge VALDANO scores in the 46th minute at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
45: Javier ZANETTI scores in the 45th minute vs. England at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
44: Gabriel BATISTUTA scores goal number 44 in his Argentina career at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

19 Comments

  1. if the keeper made a save then so be it but to have plenty of time and plenty space to direct his shot but to not even get it on target is a crime.
    4 finals and 3 misses (incl a pen kick) for hig grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  2. Infantino wants mini-World Cup every 2-year. Everyone knows there’s nothing behind that idea apart money-desire. What is the sense of that further multiplication of international tournaments? (It’s already too many). People want to see WC as real football fest, something special. If you want to have fest too often and celebrate too often the fest will not fest anymore. Big NOOO to the money-maker idea. Mr. Infantino, I know your name commits. Nomen omen. Say no to that infantinism.

    • He is part of same course: injuries in crucial moments and absurdal call ups. Aguero, Di Maria, Gago

      • For once we forget about the injuries.
        If he is fully fit do u think he should start in a midfield trio of paredes-gago-lo celso

  3. What about the offside goal Higuain scored that day? He was running offside as soon as Lavezzi started the move and I was screaming in my mind to Higuain to stay onside all along. Then he started his crazy, extended celebration. I waited for the offside flag but Higuain kept on celebrating. Just when he got me convinced that the goal was okay and I finally started celebrating, they ruled out the goal for offside. A little less excitement from Higuain could have made it a valid goal. That was a great run and cross from Lavezzi.

  4. Thanks for the post Roy, yesterday you talked about Batigol and now Higuain, what a difference 🙂

    Again, I repeat what I said previously on Higuain, he is a hard working forward, courageous and tried things. I remember when he arrived at Real, he used to play as winger as upfront was Raul-Van Nistelrooy. He showed a lot of weakness on his technical skill but despite that he finished as part of the starting XI with Capello as coach. You need to have strong personality to be in the starting XI of RM.

    Honestly, apart from his courage, I’ve never seen any special talents on him. He is not a technical player for sure, his control/passing is average, not fast neither nor creative, it’s almost a miracle for him to have such a career. I think his main quality is his high pressing and his sense of finding space for receiving the pass. But well, don’t expect from him to score on the only chance of the match or to drop deeper and creates opportunities for his partners. It depends really on what the coach expects from his forward. If Samp does not replies on him to score/create and his job is just to create unbalance to the opposite defense by his running and pressing, just like a defender in an advanced position then ok I can understand. But does it worth to have such profile in the 23?

  5. Wanted to keep this space positive.. anyone wants to go for this. Name ur top 5 all time favorite Argentine footballers .
    Here is mine
    1. Maradona
    2. Goycochea
    3. Mascherano
    4. Burruchaga
    5. Messi
    Was jus unable to fit in batistuta!

  6. Look, luck has a substantial role to play in winning any tournament and I don’t recall ARGENTINA got any breaks during the 3 finals.
    RM IN their UEFA run. Remember the two finals against AM, YESTERDAY against BM, Portugal in the Euros, Roma vs Barcelona, freaking Germany in the final when ARG had all the chances .. .etc etc

    • I agree. If we were to win World cup this summer, luck will absolutely be needed. If you look at all the big matches, winner eventually get lucky and loser either miss a simple tapins or do something stupid. Argentina and Messi has too much pressure this summer, so to win the whole thing, luck have to pay substantial part in the tournament. However i believe in Sampoali to bring best out of Messi by playing him in more dangerous position and giving him more of ball than usually do. Also when in final third, sampoali should tell all of our attacker to pass it to Messi if he is open space like in barca than shooting from impossible angle especially augero and di maria.

  7. Probably the most watched video of WC misses ever, I really wonder what goes through his mind when he puts on the Albiceleste shirt: “oh shit. Not this again”?

  8. Ouch😂
    .btw if higuain had converted that , assist credit would have been Toni kroos. Kroos will be indebted permanently🤣 to higuain to preserve his identity as one of best modern day midfielders

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