- The Argentina women’s national team got their first point in any World Cup on Monday with a 0-0 draw against Japan.
- After the match, the players grew emotional and hugged, celebrating as if they had won.
- Argentina’s women’s team has had a tortured history in the World Cup and nearly collapsed after they stopped receiving funding in 2015, making any point this year a significant victory.
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Argentina’s women’s national team scored a big win at the 2019 Women’s World Cup on Monday, even if it didn’t include any goals.
Argentina finished their first match in a 0-0 draw with Japan, one of the World Cup favorites.
Read more: Women’s World Cup Power Ranking: Where all 24 teams stand at the start of the tournament
The result marks a big moment for the women’s team, who got a point for the draw, their first ever in World Cup history.
Afterward, players celebrated as if they had won, hugging and growing emotional on the field.
Argentina earn their first ever point at a FIFA Women's World Cup!
The reaction after the final whistle says it all. pic.twitter.com/kMK7o0xnrP
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 10, 2019
The difference in reactions between Argentina's players and one of Japan's players is stark.
Argentina's women's team has had a tortured World Cup history. In the 2005 World Cup, they lost 11-0 to Germany. They have a -31 goal differential on the World Cup stage.
As Deadspin's Luis Paez-Pumar explained, after the 2015 Pan-Am games, Argentina's soccer federation stopped funding the women's team for nearly two years. The team eventually got re-built, but still struggled with late pay and unpaid travel expenses, according to Paez-Pumar.
As soccer writer Sandra Herrera noted, Argentina wasn't even listed as an active team by FIFA in 2015.
35 minutes into their World Cup and Argentina has got me in my feelings.
This team was listed as "INACTIVE" by FIFA in 2015. Ranked 128TH in 2016 with NO coach.
What could they be with any kind of real support from their federation? So proud of them rn.#FIFAWWC #ARGJPN #ARG
— Sandra💙💯⚽️ (@Sandherrera_) June 10, 2019
Given that the team is relatively new, even getting a single point via a draw is a big win. Wrote Paez-Pumar:
"Should Argentina lose with dignity to England and Japan, and then snatch up a point against Scotland, they will have had a creditable tournament. Even earning a single point in the tournament would be the Albicelestes' best finish at a World Cup ever."
FiveThirtyEight gave Argentina just a 15% chance to advance to the knockout stage at the start of the tournament. Those odds have already increased to 29% with a point now in their pockets. Perhaps a miracle run is in store, and even if not, it's already been a successful World Cup for Argentina.