Argentina vs Italy

Lautaro Martínez, Ángel Di María and Paulo Dybala struck as South American champions Argentina proved to be an irresistible force in the inaugural ...

We knew it was going to be a nice game and a nice setting in which to be champions. The truth is that it's beautiful to feel the affection since we started this process. Their combative spine – Rodrigo De Paul, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi – all excelled, while the front three clicked from the off, Messi and Di María dovetailing to devastating and beautiful effect behind Lautaro, who ended with a goal and an assist. It's the end of an era; time to tear up the plans and start again, and Mancini has already proved once that he can do that. Italy came from behind to win UEFA EURO 2020 at this venue, but there was little suggestion that a comeback was possible this time as chances kept piling up at the other end. Ángel Di María tried to lob Gianluigi Donnarumma from halfway inside two minutes as the South American champions tugged the beard of their European counterparts, but it was discipline and superlative passing that left Argentina 2-0 up at the break.

National team success is finally coming for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, late in his trophy-filled club career.

— Ziad is NOT in pain (@Ziad_EJ)June 1, 2022 “What we experienced here was beautiful,” Messi said. — Ziad is NOT in pain (@Ziad_EJ)June 1, 2022

Argentina won the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions with a convincing win over Italy at Wembley.

For Italy, the loss will likely mark the end of this current cycle, which started in 2018 under Roberto Mancini and brought the Azzurri the UEFA Euro title last summer. They scored the final goal of the night in the last minute of the match, with Paulo Dybala finding the back of the net and securing a comfortable 3-0 win in the Finalissima. On Wednesday, Argentina proved why they're participating in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar and last summer's European champions Italy are not.