In life it can be known as the moment of truth but in football it is the moment of adversity. It is the moment when as a team you find yourselves trying to cope with pressure, bad performances and even off-field problems which have combined to jeopardise your continued participation in the world’s greatest football tournament. You know that how you react will define your opportunity to lift the World Cup and become part of history.
This week Germany and Argentina stared into the abyss of impending failure when adversity struck both sides much earlier in the tournament than expected. In the case of the South American team, I guarantee the relief, euphoria and joy they felt when Marcos Rojo fired the winning goal against Nigeria will make them psychologically stronger, more confident and fearless in the next game against France. This is the benefit in both facing extreme adversity and pressure from back home and having the knowledge that a major obstacle has already been hurdled, galvanising the group and strengthening them mentally.
Related: Joachim Löw cannot survive Germany’s World Cup humiliation | Uli Hesse
Related: Messi’s in a mess and doesn’t seem to fit into the Argentina collective | Marcel Desailly
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