Lionel Messi was unable to hold back tears after Argentina lost to Spain in a dramatic and exhausting 2026 World Cup final.
The defeat ended Argentina’s reign as world champions and marked Messi’s second loss in the three World Cup finals in which he has appeared. The Argentine captain struggled to influence the match and was visibly devastated after the final whistle.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni also struggled to conceal his disappointment but praised his players for reaching another final and fighting until the end.
“It is sad, but we gave everything,” Scaloni said. “I have a great deal to say about the journey that brought us here, but now is not the time. I will be eternally grateful to these players for reaching another final and competing in it.”
“Spain was better, but I have wonderful memories of this group,” he added.
Scaloni emphasized the difficulty of reaching the final and said his players could not be criticized after leaving everything on the field.
“We have to appreciate getting this far because it is extraordinarily difficult,” he said. “Of course, we wanted to win, but I only have words of gratitude. You can play better or worse, but when players give everything as they did today, it is difficult to complain.”
Argentina entered the final physically depleted and suffered further setbacks during the match. Both starting central defenders, Lisandro Martínez and Cristian Romero, were forced off with physical problems.
“We arrived right at the limit,” Scaloni admitted.
The coach concluded by calling on Argentina to accept the defeat with dignity and begin rebuilding.
“We are great when we win, and we must also be great when we lose,” he said. “We accept that we lost. We arrived in very difficult condition, but the players left everything on the field. That is a powerful example for our people and our country.”
“You lose, and then you have to get back up.”
