Whatever the scenario of Sunday's final against Spain, Argentine fans are convinced, in light of the recent epic victories in the North American World Cup, that the 'Albiceleste,' the defending champions, will fight to the end against the European champions.

Experts say this steel mentality is not only due to the talents of Lionel Messi and his teammates, but also to the nature of Argentine society based on the pursuit of success, as they prepare to defend their title against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.

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Players, coaching staff and fans have repeated over the past few weeks that the team 'knows how to suffer.' Coach Lionel Scaloni said on Wednesday, after Argentina's stunning late comeback to beat England 2-1 in the semi-final, 'I think this team gives its best when it is in trouble.' The 2026 World Cup has seen the three-time world champions turn the tables in the final moments, time and again in the knockout stages. First, they had to score two goals after extra time to beat the modest Cape Verde team 3-2 and advance to the round of 16. Then they were two goals down against Egypt until the 78th minute, before Messi inspired them to score three late goals. In the quarter-finals, they narrowly avoided penalties against Switzerland by scoring two goals in the second extra time period. Lawyer Matías Cerilli (44), from Buenos Aires, told AFP on Thursday, his voice slightly hoarse from the raucous celebrations the previous day, 'It's a group of people who, despite difficulties, never give up.' Cerilli links the team's resilience to the 'many hardships' he believes Argentina has suffered over the years. He added, 'Argentines will never consider the battle lost, even if the odds are completely unfavorable.' - 'A country driven by success' - Many believe Scaloni's leadership has reinforced this steel mentality based on 'we can achieve.' Since taking over as coach in 2018, he has focused on building a strong system around Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, now 39. For Messi, whom many consider the greatest player in football history, it was a final realization of success on the international stage. Over the following eight years, the duo turned Argentina into a victory machine, winning the Copa America twice consecutively, interspersed with winning the third World Cup in Qatar in 2022, in addition to winning the 'Finalissima' match. Pablo Negro, president of the Argentine Association of Sports Psychology, praised 'this very long process of work.' He told AFP, 'This team sees pressure as an opportunity for self-development and achieving excellence.' Negro believes this mentality is partly due to innate factors, and partly to 'the high level of demands present in Argentine football and Argentine society.' The psychologist added, 'We live in a country largely based on the pursuit of success, where we are expected to win constantly from an early age.' - 'Head held high' - Anthropologist Federico Sisli said that the formation of players in youth categories in Argentina contributes to shaping the personalities of those who reach the national team. The academic specializes in professional football training at the University of San Martín and also works with the organization 'Save Our Football.' Sisli explained that youth development programs focus on values such as sacrifice and humility, noting that many children come from low-income families. He added that from a very young age, players feel that repaying their families and coaches is non-negotiable. He said, 'What humility offers is giving the player... the main tool to overcome adversity and move forward.' He pointed out that the fans represent an additional pressure factor that imposes 'a kind of ban on laxity.' He added, 'They demand from the Argentine footballer not so much a good performance, but that he gives his all... As long as that happens, you leave with your head held high.'