This has been a rough World Cup for Argentina. It’s not just because they lost to Spain in the final, 1-0. That country’s ugliness has been exposed for the whole world to see. Rude fans, dirty play, and obvious favoritism by FIFA. And there’s the racism. From the policy of blanqueamiento to a restaurant with an offensive name. Not to mention all those Germans who went there after 1945 (and those with questionable beliefs who moved there today).

Would we know all this about Argentina if they weren’t so good at football/soccer? Would we care about how their fans and players behaved if they were eliminated in the group stage? There wasn’t this hue and cry against Argentina four years ago when they picked up their third star and Lionel Messi finally got his trophy. Why did they become the villains now?

It shows a common challenge for anyone who aspires to success. The higher you climb, the more you’re exposed.

As you start building success and attracting the attention that goes with it, people want to know more about you. They want to know your background and how it led you to the position you’re in. You’re happy to provide that information, because that’s how you gain fans and find colleagues who will promote your work. But people want to make sure you’re someone they feel comfortable supporting. They’ll vet you, examine your beliefs, and judge your conduct. You’ll find yourself under scrutiny. Some people are just looking for a reason to reject you.

You soon discover that the spotlight highlights all of your flaws.

That’s what happened to Argentina. They were an underdog in 2022, looking to win their first title in 36 years. Their national hero Diego Maradona died a couple of years prior, and their superstar Lionel Messi had come up empty-handed after losing the final to Germany in 2014. People were overjoyed that Argentina finally won it all that year.

It was a different story in 2026. Fans found other underdogs to root for. Cabo Verde and Vozinha. Norway and Erling Haaland (and all that rowing). Spain had its own feel-good stories. Nico Williams, whose parents crossed the Sahara by foot to find a better life. Lamine Yamal (and his darling younger brother, Kenye) who was born to teenage parents.

In contrast, Argentina was the reigning champions and favored to repeat. (As this Dodger fan will tell you: Nobody likes an overpowered team.) When you reach the top, people want to see you fall. Trouble comes when you give people too much leverage to push you over.

That’s why it’s important to temper ambition with humility. All of us have flaws and things we’ve done that we’re ashamed of. If we own up to them and make determined efforts to grow, we can turn our defects into strengths.

Someone I’ve gained a lot of respect for is Hunter Biden. He wasn’t in the spotlight by choice, but we’ve seen people use their position as a president’s son to further their personal ambitions. He messed up in the most public, degrading way. But he’s paid for what he’s done, gotten himself clean, and is now using his experiences to encourage and support others in his situation.

This also reminds us that we need to be generous with our success. In the third-place game with France, England star Jude Bellingham handed off the penalty kick to Bukayo Sako so he could get a hat trick (which he did). Bellingham would later get a goal to give England a 6-4 win.

If you seek success and fame, balance it with humility and generosity. The higher you go, the more you’re exposed, and the more people want to see you fall. Honesty, a willingness to grow, dignity, and showing respect will keep you up there. It’s a lesson Argentina should learn. As it licks its wounds of defeat and international scorn, it can benefit from self-reflection. And definitely a better name for its burger places.

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