Original subtitles

[Christmas music chiming]

[phone notifications humming]

That's a chicken.

That's supposed to be a rooster, Pía?

- [giggling] - Pía! What? Seriously?

[laughing]

Let's go.

[Cardoso] Well, I only need the jerseys and the soccer cleats. Yeah, that's it.

Jersey and cleats, okay?

That's it. Just a jersey and soccer cleats.

- This is the microphone. - Stop.

[Cardoso] Well, probably Monday or Wednesday evening,

because nobody's here in the mornings.

- [Pia giggling] - That'd be great, thanks.

- Can you... Can you help us do our show? - Wow.

- What show? - We're TV interviewers.

Wow! Let's see.

Uh, hello, Jorgelina, I have a question.

[laughing] Uh...

- Let me start. - No! All right, fine.

Uh... Hello Mía, how are you?

I have a question for you.

What do you think about all those journalists

that said that your dad should stop playing for the national team and retire?

He proved they were full of shit, didn't he?

[all laughing]

- [whimsical music playing] - [laughing hysterically]

Sorry. I didn't mean that!

[dramatic stinger]

[Scaloni] We didn't call him up for the national team,

and I still think, uh, it was the right move at the time

but it wasn't... it wasn't, uh, because of his playing.

[dramatic music rises and fades]

[buzzing]

[Aimar] I think we were all at Ezeiza when the news first broke.

- Basically it was just... Leo called him. - [gentle music playing]

When I called him he'd just... just wrapped up that interview he was doing.

I picked up the phone, and started crying before I said hello.

And then he started crying too.

And he said, "Are you an idiot? Why'd you have to talk about it?"

[commentator] Di María! Goal!

[Scaloni] Ángel is so important to his teammates that

it could actually affect them.

Not everybody can handle that pressure.

"Call me up, even as a substitute."

"That's fine, I'll wait, because I'm sure I'll still get to play at some point."

I told him why I did it, and that I'd call him up.

Do you remember when I told him to quit the team?

Quit the team and just keep playing in Paris?

Go drink coffee by the Eiffel Tower?

Do you remember that? What if he did?

- You did tell him that, didn't you? - Imagine if he did. Thank God he didn't!

We both got excited because he's...

he's more than just an extraordinary soccer player, he's also just...

He's also a great guy.

So you get excited just talking with him.

That's when my life changed then 100%.

Everything that's happened to me since that one phone call has been glory.

Yeah, just glory.

Pure and simple.

ÁNGEL DI MARÍA: BREAKING DOWN THE WALL

I'm on my knees begging.

THE DI MARÍA FRAUD

I'm begging.

As a fan of the national team, I beg you, Scaloni.

Stop signing Di María to the team, please.

Please don't do it anymore!

You're screwing us. You didn't want him, you didn't meet with him!

You only called him up again

because of his statements, because Messi wanted him, etc, etc.

So please...

That man on TV kneeling down, that was...

MOTHER

That was terrible.

I can't believe someone would go that far.

Yes, I remember. I'm his calendar, mentally. [laughing]

[man] Do you keep a list?

Yes, I have a list and at first I was taking notes of what was said

but there was just too much to keep track of.

'Cause everyone was just shitting on him,

so I thought instead I should take note of...

of the few who'd been supporting him from the start.

HE'S SUCH A POOR PLAYER. WHAT HAS HE DONE FOR THE TEAM?

HE SHOULD LET OTHERS PLAY. A SHAKE-UP IS NEEDED.

[reporter] When we talk about Di María playing for Argentina,

we have to talk about his countless injuries.

He's here, and then gone again.

People often forget this is a... a person they're talking about.

And they just talk. Without thinking.

[reporter] How long do we have to put up with him?

He's always injured. Stay in Europe, kid.

I told him to give it up.

FATHER

I was telling him it wasn't worth getting hassled like that

when he was giving it his best shot with the national team for so long.

But he said, "Ma, Pa, don't watch the TV"

"Don't buy the newspaper. Don't even look at the newspaper."

[reporter] Di María isn't fit for the national team. He's had plenty of chances.

[Messi] Eventually, you get used to it,

and you grow a thicker skin so it doesn't affect you.

So you can continue to enjoy playing and keep on giving it your best.

But this journey hurts the people we love.

And they suffer.

A HUGE FRAUD

[reporter] Di María's time is over.

Those were hard times for him. And for the family.

[somber music playing]

Yeah, they were all just so critical. And he...

SISTER

He didn't deserve it.

I guess they know that it was painful for us,

but they'll never understand how painful it was for his parents.

It was very painful.

To hear people criticizing our family.

And they just kept on going, one after the other.

I'm pretty strong.

When something happens, well...

Well, I don't know, I can just let it go.

But his parents can't, and that affected me.

Because I wasn't crying,

but I saw both of them crying a lot because of him.

And it happened a lot with people shouting at the stadiums,

"Di María is dead!" "You don't belong on the field!"

"Get lost Di Maria!"

"Get off the field, loser!"

All this bitching and insults,

and his parents were sitting next to me just crying.

[man] Did you ever consider retirement?

Yes I did, many times.

The thought crossed my mind a lot.

I told him, "Don't even think about it."

"You only retire when you're at the top of your game!"

"No way can you quit when things aren't going your way."

"Darling, you keep trying until you run out of chances."

I'm picturing a whole TV series for Rhino here you know?

Where he scores goals at every final!

I'm serious Rhino-boy, I could make this series happen!

I'll have you score the goal, move the ball, score again...

- [Di María] Okay, okay! - Against Brazil too! Heh?

[Di María] Sounds good to me!

But we need to wait until after Copa América.

And we all need to start doing this.

Nobody can retire unless they give gifts to everyone!

If you're too cheap for that,

and you want to keep playing, you can just go on until you reach 50 or so.

Even if you're gassed and they're just scoring goal after goal on you.

Are you gonna make the series with that hair, or are you gonna get a haircut?

I'll be rocking a mane.

Didn't you see Beckham's series, dumbass?

[Otamendi] Come on, man. I mean it.

Come on, gimme a break, I'll get it fixed tomorrow.

- [Otamendi] Yeah, you need to. - I gotta go.

- Good to see you, bro. Bye. - Talk to you soon. Love you, man.

Thanks. Me too. Bye.

[De Paul] They've always been heroes to us, all this time.

So to be able to now turn that admiration into a friendship is...

is just amazing, right?

Because I really enjoy what we have.

[exciting music playing]

[reporter] Finally, the Copa América will be played in Brazil,

according to CONMEBOL after a virtual meeting.

IT'S NOW OR NEVER

[epic music playing]

[Romero] Some people were saying things like

Ángel would be off the team if we lost the Copa América, you know?

So it was hard for us too.

[Scaloni] We were all very confident.

We all believed that in the end things would be all right, and...

And most importantly, we knew how we needed to play.

[crowd cheering]

2021 COPA AMÉRICA - BRAZIL

[commentator] We are now seeing CONMEBOL's tribute to Diego Armando Maradona.

It's the first Copa América without him.

I don't think there's ever been anyone who fought for the Argentine jersey

or flag the way that Maradona did.

[dramatic stinger]

He was rooting from the other side. I'm sure of it.

[slow-building dramatic music playing]

[whistle blowing]

[commentator] Di María is giving them a hard time on the right wing.

Messi shoots!

Messi on the left with a cross!

Otamendi blasts the ball away. That's a foul against Di María.

Di María with a pass. Argentina scores!

Messi lobs the ball over, and he scores!

Argentina qualifies for the round of 16, and will face Ecuador.

Lautaro shoots, and he scores!

Di María is getting close...

Free kick by Messi, and that's a goal! We're facing Colombia in the semifinals!

Lautaro! And he scores!

Díaz scores for Colombia!

- Dibu Martínez with a spectacular save! - [whistle blowing]

Brazil is waiting at Maracanã.

- Will Argentina make it this time? - [dramatic music fades out]

[Di María] I knew this was my last chance.

If we didn't make it or lost the final, then that...

that'd be the end.

Nothing after that.

[dramatic stinger]

[commentator] And now, it's Argentina versus Chile in the final!

[whistle blowing]

Going into that final,

we were doing great, and felt really good about ourselves.

We had done a great job to get there, and we felt like we were ready.

But then...

[Pinilla] We knew we were up against a great Argentina team that day.

But what we were telling ourselves was that they couldn't beat us.

[tense music playing]

Other than Messi, we knew that Di María was the one

that could make things difficult for us.

[commentator] Di María, full speed!

But Beausejour is there, and Argentina loses the ball.

Getting injured really hit me hard.

[commentator] The game may be over for Di María, who seems injured.

There's no doubt that when they lost Di María, that really worked in our favor.

[commentator] This is a great loss for the Argentine team!

DI MARÍA MISSES ANOTHER FINAL

[Di María] I know there are some pictures

where you see me just sitting on the ground.

But I wasn't crying in those.

Because I thought the worst possible thing

that could happen to me had already happened at the World Cup.

I mean... I mean, again? The same shit all over again?

"He's shit himself!" That's what we said.

[commentator] Here's Higuaín... He missed his shot!

Bravo has stopped Banega!

Now here comes Alexis...

Chile has won!

Chile has won! Chile has done it!

They've won the Copa América tournament!

And another colossal failure for Argentina!

COWARDS!

ARGENTINE TRADITION: BEING RUNNERS-UP

[Messi] Everybody wanted our heads because we'd lost several finals,

and some of the comments were just meant to hurt.

It's one thing to criticize, but these things were, uh...

meant deliberately to hurt us,

and our families, and friends, and people we love.

It's painful.

2016 COPA AMÉRICA - USA

[Di María] I got injured again during the second game of the 2016 Copa América.

[commentator] A substitution? Unbelievable.

Is it just bad luck, or is there more to it?

[Di María] I went through the same thing again,

and that's when I realized that my mental state just wasn't good.

[commentator] Di María's in position... He missed it!

I played in the final again, but I really wasn't feeling all there.

And again we lost to Chile in the shootout.

[commentator] The penalty shootout starts now!

Here comes Messi... And he misses!

It became clear that this wasn't going to happen for us,

that things just weren't working this way.

[commentator] Silva versus Romero.

Silva shoots!

Chile has won the tournament twice in a row!

[Di María] And we lost the tournament again.

[commentator] Argentina loses! Chile has won!

[Pinilla] Winning the tournament twice in a row against Argentina was unbelievable.

It was an epic moment for us,

and we even joked afterwards

that we thought we'd just sent Messi into retirement.

I gave it my all, I tried.

It's been four finals and I couldn't win, despite giving it everything I had.

And yes, it's painful to say,

but it's obvious that this isn't meant for me.

When he said "I'm done," it was...

It was done for all of us. You know?

If we can't win with him, it's like...

it'd be impossible otherwise.

That's when we hit rock bottom, and we realized

the way we've been doing things is not working.

Psychologically, physically, we were just...

We... We were just completely exhausted. We were all just done.

When I criticized Di María, I think the evidence was all there.

He had countless opportunities with Argentina.

The World Cup in 2010, the World Cup in 2014,

Copa América 2011, Copa América 2015, Copa América 2016,

Copa América 2019, the 2018 World Cup...

And he just kept getting injured.

[upbeat music playing]

[commentator] Welcome back, everyone, to the Copa América of 2021!

Where we're getting ready for the one we've all been waiting for, the final!

I really wasn't expecting to play in the final because

the team had been doing well without me.

They'd been playing well.

Then Scaloni called us in the morning, and, well...

Mainly, he just wanted to tell us,

and he was crying,

and he said he had faith in us,

he'd support us until the very end,

and he was grateful to us for everything we had achieved.

[Scaloni] Ángel had been playing well.

This was his moment. He was hell-bent, that much was obvious.

And I just felt it was his time.

These players wear their jerseys with pride,

and this was the time...

Time for the real players to step up and show everybody what they're made of.

We had mixed feelings, and...

on one hand, we got to play in another final,

and it's a big deal to play at Maracanã against Brazil.

On the other hand,

we were worried about coming up short again in a final.

Not again, you know?

[Aimar] You have guys that have won it all,

saying that this is their last dance.

It's either victory, or if you lose, permanent retirement.

[whistle blowing]

The first half was about technique and

it was a pretty even game.

- It was also very physical. - [whistle blowing]

The way soccer games are in South America.

[tense music playing]

My son Agustín sent me a message the night before and wrote,

"I'm worried but I have faith."

And then, he added, "one-nil Di María."

All lower case, no stress mark. "one nil di maría."

Like a teenager.

And I thought to myself, what if he's right?

What if do we win with only one goal, one to zero, and the goal is Di María's?

The day before, Ángel Correa told us the player on the left wing for Brazil

was not playing his best.

So, Di María spoke with De Paul.

He told him to look for an opening, and that he'd be ready for it.

And it worked.

[De Paul] I had the ball just before the halfway line.

And when I saw Ángel, I knew he was going to go for it.

[Di María] Rodrigo gave me a very precise pass. It was perfect.

His timing to start his run was incredible.

And then his ball control was even better than the goal itself.

- [crowd cheering] - [commentator faintly] Goal!

[Di María] After the pass, I was able to control the ball,

and get it on my left foot so I could chip it over the keeper.

And then I celebrated the goal of my dreams,

the one I've always wanted to score for Argentina.

[commentator] Let's go, Argentina! Come on!

After that I felt like we could win the game.

I believed we could win from then on.

At one point they had five attackers.

They had Vinícius Jr, Richarlison, Neymar, Paquetá,

I even think Gabigol was attacking at some point.

Neymar was unstoppable in the second half.

[Neymar] They were definitely playing me a little rougher all of that second half.

Just to try and slow him down,

Guido, Otamendi and Germán were getting physical with him,

but it wasn't stopping Neymar at all.

I was afraid he'd score.

It was always somebody different who was fouling me,

so they wouldn't get a red card.

[whistle blowing]

One foul each. That was the deal.

[commentator] Argentina keeps collecting yellow cards.

It worked, because in the end,

we ran out of time, and we never managed to score.

[commentator] Ladies and gentlemen, finally, Argentina, after 28 years!

Argentina has finally won the tournament!

It's done, Leo! It's done!

I think that's when it started.

It all began after that big victory.

Our win over Brazil at Maracanã.

[commentator] The many Argentine fans here are going crazy, as you would expect.

It's crazy the way things happened, and of course...

he and I had both gone through something similar with all the negative talk,

and plus for him all of the finals he missed due to injuries.

But Ángel...

Ángel somehow managed to turn it all around by leading us to victory and...

and scoring the winning goal.

[commentator] Argentina are the champions!

Messi is holding the cup, and they are celebrating!

Ladies and gentlemen, Argentina has won the Copa América!

- [crowd cheering] - [horns honking]

[all singing in Spanish] ♪ Brazil, tell me how it feels ♪

♪ To have our daddy in your house ♪

♪ I swear that even as the years pass... ♪

As soon as the game ended, I got in the car and started honking.

I called Ángel and I showed him the people through the camera,

and I was yelling to them, "Hey, here's Di María!"

And people stopped to look! It was crazy.

Come on, Argentina! Let's go! Let's go!

Baby, I love you. What a goal you scored, thank you!

Because I stop playing my role as a wife.

I am... I'm Argentine!

I loved soccer long before I met Ángel.

I used to set the alarm for the Olympic Games

before I even knew who he was.

[gentle music playing]

[Di María] That's the way it needed to happen.

Scoring at the final, playing the way I did...

It had to be just one goal.

And I knew that one goal had to be mine alone.

I now have Ángel on my arm. [chuckles]

That's the exact message that my son sent me.

- [fans chanting] - [fireworks popping]

[gentle music continues]

[Messi] Even though there was only one goal scored,

we all earned the title of champion in that final.

It was a great final.

[fans chanting]

Come on, perri!

[players chanting]

[player] Turn it. Turn it facing this way!

♪ You're going to see Messi He will bring the cup home ♪

♪ Maradona is greater than Pelé ♪

♪ Brazil... ♪

This is the jersey he wore when we won the final against Brazil.

It was insane.

Ángel just chipped the ball in so easy!

[laughing]

That's how he did it.

I was watching the game here, in the kitchen.

[laughing] And I was talking with my boy, and my wife was right behind me.

And afterwards we talked on the phone.

We did it! You see? We did it!

I love you.

[voice breaking] Thank you for always supporting me all these years!

I love you.

You see? The wall had to break eventually, and finally it broke.

I failed many times, but I didn't give up no matter how many times that happened.

I never gave up, Dad.

I kept going, just the way you two taught me.

I never gave up,

and we finally did it.

We finally did it.

I love you.

It's incredible, it's...

It lives forever.

There was nothing I wanted more than to win for Argentina.

Nothing.

I wanted to do it for my father,

and... and also for my grandad.

They both struggled when they were about to make it.

Something always managed to go wrong for them

just when it seemed like the time was right.

But the third time?

Third time, huh?

Third time's the charm, isn't it?

I'm the one that managed to accomplish it.

[Miguel] A lot of time had to pass in order to get us here.

I got drunk out of my mind at times.

So many setbacks.

"Tomorrow can wait," I told him, many times.

[gentle music continues]

[Di María] I'd finally accomplished what Dad and I wanted so much.

To win a championship trophy while playing for Argentina.

And after that? I didn't know it, but the best was yet to come.

[Cardoso] Come here. Come here.

[all whispering excitedly]

[Cardoso] Wait, wait! We're all coming out!

- [girl] Daddy! Daddy! - [Di María] I love you.

Oh baby, baby! I love you so much!

You were so amazing!

[Di María crying]

I love you!

[people cheering]

SOUTH AMERICAN SOCCER ISN'T AS DEVELOPED AS IN EUROPE

[Di María] There were some people saying that we had no real competition,

that we weren't playing against European teams,

only against other South American teams.

So only Brazil mattered. None of our other successes even counted.

I didn't really dwell too much on all of that.

On the contrary, I was motivated, and I think guys like Ángel were too.

The way to have this, uh...

kind of conversation

is out on the field, and we knew we were going to have to go to Europe.

We had to get to Wembley,

and then defeat the European champion.

[dramatic music playing]

We played against the best in Europe, and it was, uh...

It was a nice way to find out that we were up to it.

[commentator] Messi gets the pass. He hides the ball, he turns and sprints.

Lautaro just ahead, Messi sprints and crosses. Lautaro!

And he scores! Goal!

Goal!

We gave an excellent performance.

And I think we showed that Argentina is as good as, uh,

any European team, if not better.

[commentator] Dibu sends the ball forward...

[Martínez] Dibu made the goal kick.

I had to squeeze past the defender, but I made it around him.

And when I got free,

I could see Ángel was alongside me looking for a long through pass.

[Dibu] Ángel was one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

I wanted him to chip it so bad!

[commentator] And Di María, scores!!

Di María has scored again at a final!

Goal!

[Di María] I scored again in a final.

And against the European champs.

So many things were said after that,

but the stadium was full of Argentines, all cheering for us.

And everybody in Europe that had been disrespecting us

shut the hell up about it after that,

because we showed them how good Argentina is.

[commentator] ...and he scores!

[Di María] We were playing without stress, and with a lot of character.

I think that day was unforgettable for all of us.

[Messi] We finally came to terms with our playing style.

And I think we thought even more,

if this is within our reach, then so is the World Cup.

[commentator] This one's for you, Captain! Argentina has won the Finalissima!

Argentina has crushed Italy three-nil here at Wembley,

and the dream of Qatar is feeling closer!

Let's go, Argentina!

SOUTH AMERICA 3 EUROPE 0

[Di María] The story could've ended there.

But there was more. A lot more.

[De Paul] We hadn't lost a match in two or three years.

We were now considered one of the favorites.

And we had earned that, 100%.

And now we had to...

live up to it.

[upbeat music playing]

2022 WORLD CUP - QATAR

- All right, here you go. - Thank you. Oh, my God!

- I'm recording too! - [woman laughing]

Wow!

[fans cheering]

[all] Whoo!

[music fades out]

[Di María] The thing about positive energy and all that,

it's always in the back of my mind.

I really, really believe in that stuff, you know?

All four of us have one of these, and...

Mine has a medallion that grandma gave me.

People say that the only time these fall off...

is if you're receiving a lot of bad energy from outside.

[tense music playing]

[Cardoso] Ángel's came off at the World Cup.

[Messi] Everybody was saying our game against Saudi Arabia

was going to be a really easy one,

so we were feeling a certain confidence.

I think we bought into that idea that it would be an easy victory.

So we went in taking it a bit for granted like it was just another game,

and that there was no question we were going to win. And then...

[Di María] They scored twice, like, completely out of nowhere.

Two great goals, and we lost.

[reporter] Saudi Arabia shakes things up at the World Cup!

They've made history

by beating the previously undefeated Argentine team!

Enough of that! More than ever, we now need to rally behind our boys!

After the Saudi Arabia loss,

losing to Mexico would mean the end for us.

Then Ángel said, "I need something from you sweetheart."

"I need you to get me some red string."

The energy was always here.

But I knew this would give me a little boost. It was just a boost.

Just like a little bit extra.

And so, before I left Turin on my way to Qatar,

I decided not to buy just one,

but a whole roll of red string, just in case.

And he could just cut off what he needed.

So I got there,

and when I told him that I hadn't brought just one piece,

but that I had a whole roll of red string, he said, "Bring it to me."

"Give it to me now."

[Di María] I gave one to each of our starters, so they could feel protected.

So they could feel safe, and get the same confidence boost I was getting.

When someone gives you something it makes you feel sort of different,

know what I mean?

I know it's like that for me. It always makes me feel different.

[uplifting music playing]

[Mac Allister] Enzo asked me, "What's this for?"

I said "Ángel gave it to us,

put it in your sock, and go play, and don't ask questions."

We all respect each other's beliefs completely.

So I had no problem.

I really believe there was power in them

because I'd even blessed them with holy water

before I gave them to everybody.

I sprinkled holy water over each one so they were the real deal.

[Scaloni] They didn't even ask why he was giving them out.

No one was gonna question it once they knew it was Di María behind it.

[dramatic stinger]

♪ And I don't care what Those fucking journalists say ♪

♪ They can all go to hell ♪

♪ Oh oh oh oh We're supporting Argentina ♪

[gentle music playing]

[Aimar] I remember thinking before the Mexico game,

there was only one way that game was going to go.

Only one possibility.

And it wasn't going to be smooth or fluid or seamless or easy.

It was going to be rough.

Where is Messi?

Where is Messi? I can't see him!

People were shouting, "Where's Messi?"

But I always know where he is.

[commentator] Di María finds Messi! He passes! Messi has it!

And Messi scores for Argentina!

It was a quick pass.

It had to be quick, so I kicked the ball as hard as I could.

He controlled it perfectly.

And he finished with a great shot. A great finish.

Ángel's pass, not only did he put the ball exactly where he should have,

but he hit it hard enough to get it there in a hurry.

They've played together all their careers,

and at this point, they know how to pass a ball. No surprise.

Ángel thought fast,

and immediately recognized Messi was in front of him.

[De Paul] I especially liked that it was those two who started it off.

To help the team take its first step toward our objective.

[commentator] Argentina remains in the World Cup!

They've beaten Mexico, two-nil!

I think after that game...

ARGENTINA NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM

...the team had more confidence getting ready for Poland.

And we rolled over them.

I started feeling a little pain during the game,

here in my quad.

But I kept playing. I felt like I was still moving okay.

He should've told us about even the smallest problem.

But I get it, it's hard for him to admit something's wrong,

because his commitment to Argentina is just so strong.

At one point, I was with Messi near the box,

and I turned quick to my right,

and I felt a little bit more pain.

That's when I went to the coach,

and I told him he needed to send in a sub for me.

A GHOST FROM THE PAST DI MARÍA SUFFERS INJURY AGAINST POLAND

We were playing against the Netherlands, and there was...

I still felt a little pain down there.

I was angry. I got mad.

"There's nothing wrong with you, baby. It's your last World Cup, Ángel."

I told him I was going to the bench, but if he needed me in the field,

I'd go in.

The Netherlands were particularly scary because they were playing a specific way,

and they were playing well.

MESSI DOESN'T PARTICIPATE WHEN HIS TEAM'S ON DEFENSE

Not all countries follow the same rules.

People here don't like it at all when someone talks smack before a game.

2014 WAS DECIDED BY PENALTIES AND MESSI DIDN'T TOUCH THE BALL

With all the games we played together, I've said all I needed to say about it.

He's the worst coach I've ever had.

[tense music playing]

Angel Di Maria did play for me for a year at Manchester,

but I didn't know he had said that about me.

I'm sorry to hear that he said that.

But a coach often has to make decisions that players don't like.

This man here also played for me at Manchester.

Memphis Depay.

And you can see we get along so well that we now kiss each other...

on the mouth.

[reporters laughing]

- But we won't do that now. - [all laughing]

VAN GAAL STEPS INTO THE RING

[commentator] Here comes Messi, he dribbles through traffic!

He passes the ball! Wow, what a pass to Molina!

Molina scores!

[Di María] We were giving the Netherlands a hard time right from the start.

They didn't have any opportunities or chances.

We were up two to zero,

and in a normal match we would have won,

but they brought it to a tie at the very end.

[tense music playing]

The score was tied, and coach told me to warm up.

And I still felt that pain, you know?

It didn't feel as bad, but there was still a very light sensation.

[commentator] Does Argentina want to win? Ángel makes a tight cross.

That was almost a goal! Unbelievable!

[Di María] It was harder than it should've been.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,

and in the end, the Netherlands game turned out to be a victory for us.

ARGENTINA IS IN THE SEMIFINALS!

[Di María] We won the game on penalties,

even though he said we wouldn't because he was a master at that.

But you know, at the end of the day,

he ended up shoving all those words...

Well, let's say he ended up eating his own words, to avoid being too graphic.

- [fans cheering] - [uplifting music playing]

He has a knack for proving people wrong.

And I think that with this victory

against Van Gaal,

he got even on the soccer field.

- [Cardoso] Put your toys away. - Look who's home!

[Cardoso cheering]

[Di María] After the game against Croatia, the final was four days away.

I trained every day as usual,

but I didn't think I'd be playing in the final until the last minute.

If you look at the composition of the French team,

was there any other way to play that game?

Really?

Scaloni already knew what had to be done.

When training was over, he asked me if I felt all right.

I told him I was feeling good, and there was no pain.

I was feeling good. And really, that was it.

Until the very last moment, he didn't know if he was going to play.

He thought he wouldn't be in the lineup because of what he heard.

Coach didn't ask me any questions right before the game.

We didn't talk.

We went for a snack, and when we went back out...

You sort of know your position on the lineup sheet.

I looked on the right and Ángel wasn't there.

So he wasn't playing.

I look for my name and it's not there.

So I thought I wasn't playing,

but then I noticed that we had four players in the back instead of five.

I checked again, and saw I was playing left wing.

[Aimar] I saw Ángel start tapping his feet the moment he knew he was playing.

[laughs]

That's an Ángel thing to do. He's electric.

[Scaloni] It was clear to me that left wing was France's biggest weakness.

And it was clear that Ángel was in top shape,

that this was the final of a World Cup,

that he wouldn't mind,

and that it was necessary to play the game that way.

They had me play on the left wing,

when I had only ever played right wing during the World Cup.

They analyzed the situation,

and they determined that I could make an impact there.

And they were right.

[commentator] Welcome to the World Cup final!

Argentina, you're one step away from glory!

Here comes Di María and the rest of the players, ready for the big moment!

For the game that decides everything.

Di María always makes a difference in finals.

The World Cup is coming to an end.

It sometimes takes that first move,

or even just the opening pass to feel all the confidence

that you need for a game.

[commentator] Di María receives the ball, excellent chest control.

He tries to shake off Koundé. Now to Tagliafico, and now Mac Allister!

And now to Di María!

[Aimar] He had the ball twice at the start, and did all right,

so he started getting the ball more.

You want it, you get it.

As people say, I was going all in.

I was determined.

I played the way I normally play. The way that makes me happy.

[commentator] Here comes Di María. He fakes and closes in.

There's contact, that's a penalty!

It doesn't matter if there was contact or not,

that's a penalty, and that's final!

People keep saying that it wasn't a foul,

but there's contact.

He made contact and that made me fall.

I thought that it was a great dive,

but he says he wasn't. [laughing]

I always tease him about it. "You're truly a professional diver, aren't you?"

[commentator] All of Di María's cunning can be seen in this play.

He's got plenty of experience. He's played for the best clubs.

That's the thing.

[commentator] Whether this is cunning or something else,

you can only learn it by playing in the streets.

[Di María] There's a little of my hometown,

some experience, and a bit of everything there.

Cunning is a part of soccer.

If you're going to mark Di María on the left side,

he'd usually fake and turn left so he can cross with his dominant foot.

However, he faked, turned left and then right,

so he was back to his standing foot.

If you're the defender,

and you're facing a player that's still moving freely after you mark him,

that's bound to make you nervous.

And Di María, one-on-one, is one of the best soccer players there is.

That was a decisive point in the game.

[commentator] Here's Messi! He shoots, and he scores!

Goal!

Ángel is just insanely good.

And if he feels inspired,

he can take anybody to school.

His foul gave us the early lead.

This was his game.

Now we had to pressure them.

[commentator] ...rebounded the ball!

[Scaloni] Nahuel made an outstanding pass,

and over on the left wing Ángel had nobody near him.

First thing I do, I pass the ball and run forward in case Leo was giving it back.

[commentator] Leo plays fast!

[Mac Allister] When he gives it to Julio, I look to my side,

and I see Ángel all alone on the left.

After I crossed to him he made the most of it.

[commentator] Di María is by himself, give it to him!

Mac Allister crosses! Do it, Ángel!

Di María shoots, and he scores!

- [crowd cheering] - [uplifting music playing]

[Di María] When Alexis passes the ball,

he doesn't hit it with the inside of the cleat.

He hits it halfway through, so it was the perfect pass for me.

[Dibu] He knew the keeper Lloris always went down early in one-on-ones.

People say he was lucky, but I think he deliberately chipped the ball.

Whenever I tell this story, I always have to say,

my teammates are the ones that made the play work.

They each touched the ball once.

Well, Messi did touch it twice, so Julián could get to the other side.

[Scaloni] It was a great goal.

As much as you want to make that play happen during training,

it won't work.

That kind of magic only happens during games,

and it worked because they're that good. That's it.

I don't say this because we scored it,

but I don't think there's a goal like that in any World Cup final.

A goal that good, that quick,

we touched the ball three times,

and then we scored.

[commentator, muffled] Goal! Argentina!

[Messi] When we were celebrating on the field,

I said to him, "You scored again in a final."

It's unbelievable.

He scored at every final.

He scored at every final.

[commentator] You can't have a final or win a trophy without Di María scoring!

[Carreño] I knew something would happen.

it just had to.

That boy needed to shine, and he did.

I don't know how the cameras found her

because there were so many people in the stadium.

We were all watching all those passes,

and when it went to Ángel my heart was in my throat.

And when he scored, we were all standing and shouting.

My wife was on her seat, and boom, she just fainted.

[Carreño] I fainted right there in my seat.

My husband and my daughter were holding me,

and I felt in such a frenzy, just full of so much excitement

from the happiness that he'd given us.

I couldn't believe it. I really couldn't believe it.

I was hugging her, and we were crying. I couldn't believe it.

We were just ecstatic.

Imagine, scoring again at a final...

[commentator] Di María gets the ball. He can take a shot.

That's a goal!

Ángel Di María scores!

Looking at that video...

it's perfect.

Finally I could pay them back for what they gave me.

I could repay them with this joy.

[emotional music playing]

God had this special soccer moment in store for him,

and he was ready to

seize that moment.

It's hard to make out what he says, but it looks to me like he says, "Diego."

And then you think, would he be thinking about Maradona?

That Diego?

I'm grateful to Maradona, 100%.

If I said that after the goal, which I did, it was because of that.

I asked for his help at the Copa América tournament.

I asked for his help, we wanted to win, and then I scored the goal, I don't know.

I don't know. I also scored the goal against Italy.

I don't know, it seems he wanted to be a part of the World Cup,

and I guess he made me say his name in order to do it.

There had to be a divine moment

in order for... for things to happen as they did.

[commentator] Hold tight to the person by your side!

This is soccer, with a whole life leading to this!

Ángel, the boy that hauled coal in Rosario.

The guy playing soccer in the street.

And now your team feels the cup closer to them,

thanks to you, thanks to Diego,

and thanks to every Argentine shedding tears of joy back home!

Once Ángel got substituted,

the team lost a bit of the freshness and attitude

that we had when he was on the field.

Once Ángel went off, the game changed.

[commentator] Here comes Mbappé. Mbappé! France scores a goal. I can't believe it.

France and Argentina are tied now. Unbelievable.

I just couldn't believe we were going through that.

And then, we went into extra time.

[commentator] Lautaro shoots! Messi gets the rebound, and he scores!

The ball is in! Argentina scores!

We were up three to two, and there were only two minutes left.

We felt the cup was ours. The cup was ours.

I just wanted the game to end right there.

Sometimes I only saw white,

and there were times I really felt like shit.

I've never felt so bad in my whole life.

[commentator] Can Kylian Mbappé rise to this moment for France?

We were about to seize true glory,

and the moment started slipping away.

And it wasn't

our fault at all, because we had done everything right so far.

Everything. And they just scored a goal here, a penalty there...

[commentator] Come on, Dibu! Mbappé shoots!

Mbappé evens the score for France!

This game will be decided by penalties.

Kylian Mbappé has tied it up!

[Aimar] That's soccer.

If aliens were to visit us one day, and ask about soccer,

just play them this game.

For me, this was the best final ever.

Three all, and decided by penalties...

[tense music playing]

[commentator] The critical penalty falls to Montiel.

[Zanetti] Even though Montiel kicks the ball,

he really didn't shoot.

Forty-five million Argentines kicked that ball.

[commentator] Come on, Montiel, we've got your back.

Montiel shoots!

[crowd cheering]

We've won the World Cup!

Today, I feel proud to be an Argentine!

Once I saw the ball had been kicked and the goalkeeper dove the other way,

that feeling...

there really are no words to convey the way I felt at the time.

[commentator] After 36 long years!

[Di María] I went to my knees...

and thanked God

for making my dream come true.

That dream that I've been chasing,

and

that came true with that goal.

It came true as soon as the ball crossed the line.

That's the dream. Like...

when you're little and start playing soccer,

you start experiencing those things.

You see it on TV, and people dream about it.

It's just insane.

Holding the cup in your hands, and you look at it...

all the memories just start flooding back, about all the effort it took,

and it all feels worth it.

[all chattering indistinctly]

[emotional music playing]

[crowd cheering]

[Di María] The feeling of accomplishment,

that it's all done,

that... that all the suffering

is finally behind you.

The way that feels is impossible to describe,

but I can tell you

that it's the most beautiful thing that...

you can ever experience.

[commentator] That's right, Captain!

It took 36 years, but you're holding the cup!

Say it out loud!

We have won the World Cup! Thank you, guys! Thank you, Argentina!

All of Argentina is celebrating this victory with you!

[emotional music continues]

[Carreño] We were holding each other tight and crying,

and he said, "Look, Mom! It's done."

"Everything that you suffered, everything that Dad suffered."

- "All those years, it's all done." - [music ends]

"We won the cup. And I scored."

Yeah...

The excitement, I...

I couldn't believe it.

I couldn't.

So many trips. This was our fourth World Cup.

We didn't make it, didn't make it, didn't make it.

But this time we did.

[heartfelt music playing]

[Cardoso] He wouldn't have made it that far if he lacked that foundation.

If his parents weren't right behind him when he was little,

he wouldn't be here.

His life at home was a crucial aspect.

I cut out a piece of the net, where Ángel scored the goal.

I cut out a couple of pieces.

From the same place.

As a player you never like to lose,

but I will say that if I have to lose to someone,

I would want it to be someone like Ángel Di Maria.

I've played against him with Brazil,

and I've also played with him at PSG,

and I know he's a good person.

For me, what touched me more in the World Cup,

you know, was that family...

that family, that group of brothers, that had something in their minds,

and they were ready to do anything to...

to go back home with the cup.

[fans cheering, horns honking]

On that bus looking around, you couldn't imagine it moving.

With that crowd, we weren't going anywhere.

We drank wine, of course!

What do you want? Should we be drinking water as world champions?

Or orange juice?

You know what we did after?

After all that, we needed two or three days to recover.

We were exhausted just from the sun and everything.

And Ángel, that old fart, he must've felt even more wasted after all that.

[Di María] I was feeling great.

I look great for 35.

The day after that, I just went home and had a barbecue.

My skin was red and I felt exhausted after being out in the sun,

but other than that, I felt good.

[friends singing in Spanish] ♪ Let's go, champ! Let's go, champ! ♪

♪ Let's go, champ! Let's go, champ! ♪

[Comas] That was one of the best days of my life,

as a soccer fan and a friend.

[emotional music playing]

It was something else.

FRIEND

♪ Let's go, champ! Let's go, champ! ♪

I was so happy to be hosting Ángel Di María at my house.

He brought his medal, he showed us all.

I even hung it on the Christmas tree, right next to my daughter's picture.

[crowd cheering]

He had become a world champion.

He tasted glory and touched the skies, and he let us be a part of that.

That was great. We'll always be grateful for that.

[emotional music playing]

[Cardoso] He doesn't realize how good he is.

He has no clue where he stands with the great ones.

[commentator] And he scores! Di María scores!

[Dybala] I think Ángel's story is the story not just of him,

but his family, his friends...

[all] Fideo! Fideo!

...about overcoming setbacks.

It's about virtues, sacrifice.

We lived something similar, he and I.

We went through very similar things, and hard times, and we finally did it.

We finally won with Argentina.

He's up there with the greatest Argentine soccer players of all time.

And he's the same guy that left Rosario.

He kept hitting his head against the wall, and he kept on fighting.

He must be a woodpecker.

He really broke the wall. [laughing]

He's the same person,

even as the champion he's become, and even with all the trophies he's won.

Even with all the successes he's earned.

He never gave up.

Of the two paths, he chose the toughest one,

because he had one dream.

Dreams can come true with effort, sacrifice and endurance.

And I think he deserved to have his come true.

[fans cheering]

[Cardoso] It all was very tough,

and I think that made us enjoy the good times more as well.

He fought against a system

that's so full of fakeness and unwarranted criticism,

and he proved that everything is possible.

That it can happen.

[Pasman] I did think that Di María was a thing of the past.

I was wrong, and I apologize.

It's the only thing that I regret in all of my career.

I did sometimes question if playing soccer was the right choice

after the thing with my coach.

And sometimes when things didn't go well with the national team.

But...

I always had an angel by my side.

My wife pushed me to keep on chasing my dream,

and before that it was my mom,

who always told me to keep playing soccer when I was little.

I always had an angel by my side, holding my hand going down the road.

All the things that were said and done were behind us, it was done.

He won three cups.

[crowd cheering]

His professional triumphs, his family, and everything that he did,

I think it was all worth it.

[commentator] Here comes Di María... Di María scores!

Seeing Ángel making his dream come true was beautiful.

SISTER

If we had to do it all over again, I definitely would.

He never gave up, and he "broke the wall," as he said.

[emotional music continues]

[Cardoso] I tell him, "These people love you, Ángel."

"They do. Realize how important you are to them."

Because sometimes I feel like he doesn't get that.

[Aimar] He's shown us it's worth trying, and that life favors the bold.

Life and the world favor the bold.

Things can go wrong, but they may go right.

Things can go right too.

[uplifting music playing]

[commentator] And 36 years later, Argentina is world champion again!

This is just how we Argentines feel.

It's the thing we want so badly. The thing...

The thing that every four years we want to see when we come home.

We... We want to see the cup.

I always notice it when I come back home.

You just can't miss it.

[voice breaking] I mean...

every time...

I give it a kiss.

And I don't think that'll ever change.

It's always there, shining.

It won't get dirty, it's almost as if...

As if dirt won't stick to it.

It means the world to me.

It's all I ever dreamed of.

[crowd cheering]

ÁNGEL DI MARÍA RETIRED FROM INTERNATIONAL DUTY ON JULY 14, 2024.

THAT SAME DAY, HE WON HIS SECOND COPA AMÉRICA.

FOR THE ARGENTINA NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM, HE RANKS THIRD FOR MOST APPEARANCES,

SECOND FOR ASSISTS, AND SEVENTH FOR GOALS.

HE RANKS SECOND AMONGST ARGENTINES FOR MOST TROPHIES WON,

AND IS TOP 10 WORLDWIDE FOR THE SAME FEAT.

HE WON 19 CLUB TOURNAMENTS FOR PSG, 6 FOR REAL MADRID, AND 4 FOR BENFICA.

HE WON THE 2014 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, RANKING THIRD ALL-TIME IN ASSISTS.

HE WON SIX COMPETITIONS FOR ARGENTINA:

THE 2007 U-20 WORLD CUP, 2008 OLYMPICS, 2021 COPA AMÉRICA,

FINALISSIMA 2022, 2024 COPA AMÉRICA, AND 2022 WORLD CUP.

[uplifting music continues]

[music fades out]