The Argentina national team has managed to win three World Cups throughout its history. The first title was achieved in 1978, followed by the second in 1986 with Diego Armando Maradona as one of the standout figures in the tournament held in Mexico. During this competition, Argentina defeated England in a memorable match thanks to the famous 'Hand of God' goal scored by Maradona. Argentina's last World Cup title took place in Qatar 2022, where they defeated the French national team in a penalty shootout.
Javier Mascherano, former teammate of Lionel Messi both at Barcelona and the Albiceleste, mentioned that he has not spoken to Messi about his gesture towards the Mexican fans. Mascherano noted that there was an 'open wound' among the Mexican supporters following Argentina's title in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The coach of Inter Miami in MLS stated that the teams and the Mexican fans tend to be hostile towards the Argentines, and he believes this wound still persists after the World Cup.
In a friendly match between Inter Miami, coached by Messi, and America, three-time champions of Liga MX, the result was a 2-2 draw in regular time, decided in a penalty shootout in favor of the American team. Messi celebrated a goal with a gesture that seemed to indicate a '3-0', referencing the World Cups won by Argentina and pointing out that Mexico has no titles. Martínez, Ruiz, and Morales scored penalties for Inter, while Dilrosun and Calderón scored for America.
Since the confrontation between America and Inter Miami, the topic of confrontations between Argentina and Mexico in past World Cups has been reignited, where Argentines have eliminated the Tricolor on several occasions, including in the 2010 South Africa World Cup and the 2006 Germany World Cup. The rivalry between the two teams has left a mark in the history of international tournaments.
