Giovani Lo Celso, the only representative from Seville clubs in the World Cup final in New York, faces a cautionary statistic: no Betis player has scored in a World Cup final. The Betis history in these events has more shadows than lights.
The World Cup final will see Argentina face the champion of the other semifinal, with an unexpected Seville protagonist: Giovani Lo Celso. The Real Betis Balompié midfielder is the only player from the two major clubs in the province who will be on the pitch at MetLife Stadium in New York. However, the history of Betis players in World Cup finals does not inspire optimism.
A History of Bad Omens
The first Betis player to step onto a World Cup final was Denílson in 2002. The Brazilian winger, a record signing for Betis, came onto the field in the 90th minute of the Germany-Brazil match when the game was already decided (2-0). He had no time to make an impact, but at least he earned a champion's medal. Pezzella and Guido Rodríguez were active participants in the Qatar 2022 final. Pezzella came on in extra time and Guido played the final moments. Both were crowned world champions after the penalty shootout against France. But neither managed to score a goal. In fact, no Betis player has ever scored in a World Cup final.
The Exception That Confirms the Rule
In 1990, Nery Pumpido, a Betis goalkeeper, was Argentina's starter in the group stage, but an injury in the second match sidelined him from the tournament. His replacement, Goycoechea, could not prevent Brehme's goal that gave the title to Germany. There was no green-and-white representation on the pitch in that final. In 2010, Rafael van der Vaart, who would later become a Betis player, played in the final with the Netherlands and lost to Spain. In 2018, Nabil Fekir, also a future Betis player, played minutes in the final that France won against Croatia, but without leaving a scoring mark.
Lo Celso, Between the Omen and a Controversial Gesture
Lo Celso arrives at the final with only 60 minutes played throughout the World Cup and one goal scored. Scaloni has given him little prominence, except in the friendly match against Jordan. The Betis omen, however, suggests that perhaps it is better if he does not play. To make matters worse, the Argentine has been in the news in the hours leading up to the match due to a banner displayed at the end of the Argentina-England match, which could lead to disciplinary consequences, although it does not seem that they will be resolved before the game.
For Betis fans, the final has an extra incentive: to see if Lo Celso breaks the curse or, on the contrary, if the statistic remains intact. What is clear is that the green-and-white club will have a representative in the fight for the most coveted title in world football, something that Sevilla FC cannot say, as they do not have any players in either squad.
The final will take place next Sunday at 21:00 hours (Spanish time) at MetLife Stadium in New York. Seville fans will be able to follow the match live on major television channels.
You may also like
