Across club football, he played 710 matches and scored 335 goals. In international football, he netted 31 times in 75 appearances for Argentina in their iconic sky-blue and white jersey. The one behind the numbers is Gonzalo Higuain, who lit up the pitch for European heavyweights like Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, Chelsea and AC Milan for years.
Looking at those club names alongside his statistics, one would hardly hesitate to place him among the greatest strikers of all time. At least in club football, there is little room to question his achievements.
From the UEFA Champions League to Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s LaLiga – his dominance in front of goal was undeniable everywhere. Yet, in the footballing world, Higuain is perhaps best remembered as a symbol of heartbreak. More specifically, for a few costly mistakes in an Argentina shirt -- most notably that unbelievable miss against Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.
After that wayward attempt, Lionel Messi’s Argentina had to wait another eight years to lift their long-awaited third World Cup. How the story of a striker as prolific as Higuain came to be defined by a ‘miss’ remains one of modern football’s great tragedies.
July 13, 2014 -- the stage was the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Argentina and Germany, two old rivals, faced off in the grandest showdown.
The match was only 20 minutes old. A tense battle was unfolding, with neither side conceding an inch. Then came a huge mistake from experienced German midfielder Toni Kroos. Without much thought, he headed the ball back toward his goalkeeper Manuel Neuer -- unaware that Higuain was lurking behind the defensive line.
The ball bounced twice, and Higuain was completely free. Only Neuer stood in front of him. For a striker, it was quite literally a dream scenario. He could have taken a touch, steadied himself, or even advanced further to beat Neuer. Instead, he rushed it. From just outside the box, Higuain unleashed a shot that was unimaginably poor.
Failing to connect properly, the ball went nowhere near the target, skidding well wide of the post. Neuer did not even have to attempt a save. Germany breathed a sigh of relief, while Argentina’s star midfielder Javier Mascherano collapsed in disbelief, hands on his head. A golden opportunity that could have shaped the match vanished in an instant.
Exactly 10 minutes later, Higuain found the net from a brilliant cross by Ezequiel Lavezzi on the right. Thinking he had made amends for his earlier mistake, he erupted in wild celebration. But within seconds, he saw the linesman’s flag raised -- offside. For a brief moment, he had tasted the joy of scoring in a World Cup final. And then, just as quickly, came the cruel reality of losing it all. In the end, Mario Gotze’s extra-time winner handed Germany the title.
Football can be brutally unforgiving.
It was Higuain’s lone goal against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup quarterfinal that had taken Argentina to the semifinals for the first time in 24 years. Ahead of the final, then coach Alejandro Sabella had praised his tireless work rate and selfless contribution to the team, saying in a press conference: “He plays a fantastic role for the team. Our faith in him has never wavered.”
But no one remembers that goal against Belgium. And Higuain’s misfortune did not stop there -- it seemed to follow him like a curse over the next two years.
He had a chance to heal those wounds in the 2015 Copa America final against Chile. With the match goalless in the dying moments of regulation time, Higuain found himself unmarked at the far post from another superb cross by Lavezzi. But from a difficult angle, his shot struck the outside of the net. The match went to penalties, where he again succumbed to pressure, blasting his effort well over the crossbar.
The following year, in the 2016 Copa America Centenario final -- again against Chile -- the same story unfolded. In the first half, he capitalised on a mistake by defender Gary Medel and found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Claudio Bravo inside the box. But once again, he relived the nightmare of two years prior. Attempting to chip Bravo, his effort drifted just wide of the post.
After that World Cup final, Higuain became a target of harsh criticism from a large section of Argentina supporters. The wave of backlash grew so intense that he chose to stay away from public appearances for a time. He even seriously considered retiring from football altogether, before being reassured by his mother and continuing his career.
When Higuain announced his retirement from international football in March 2019, there was a deep sense of hurt in his voice. In an interview, he said, “People remember my misses more than my goals. I’m sure everyone celebrated the goal against Belgium.”
Defending himself, he added, “It’s true that we didn’t achieve what we set out to in those tournaments. But does that mean we failed? Reaching three finals is not a failure.”
Higuain did not hide how the criticism had affected him and his family: “When you criticise someone with negative intent, it hurts everyone. I have seen how much my family has suffered. I gave everything for the national team. Not achieving our goal is one thing -- but when people label it as failure, it becomes very hard to accept.”
Higuain was undoubtedly one of the finest goalscorers of his generation. Yet, in World Cup history, his name will be remembered as that of a striker whose entire career was overshadowed by one astonishing miss on the biggest stage.
