Argentina’s Ambassador to India, Mariano Caucino, has expressed sincere gratitude to Indian football fans for their unwavering support during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the final. Speaking to X after the tournament, Caucino acknowledged the immense support the Albiceleste have received from supporters across India, where Lionel Messi and the national team continues to enjoy one of the world’s largest fan bases outside of South America.
Argentina thanks Indian fans
“Deeply grateful to the Indian People for the endless shows of support for the Argentine team during this last World Cup. Thank you, India, once again!” Caucino wrote. Argentina came to the tournament as the defending world champions and achieved a second consecutive FIFA World Cup final, hoping to become the first nation in 64 years to successfully retain the title. However, that dream ended at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where Spain claimed a 1-0 extra-time victory to lift their second World Cup trophy and first since 2010. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute after being set up by Nico Williams, sealing the title for Spain after a close contest. Luis de la Fuente’s side controlled possession for most of the match and created the best chances, but Argentina held on thanks in large part to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who produced a number of important saves. The defending champions suffered another setback in second-half stoppage time when Enzo Fernandez was shown a second yellow card after a late challenge on Pau Cubarsi, reducing Argentina to 10 men before extra time. Spain briefly believed they had gone ahead through Nico Williams at the start of extra time, only for the effort to be disallowed due to a foul in the build-up. Moments later, Williams drove the ball into the path of Torres, who fired home the winner. The triumph also extended Spain’s unbeaten international run to a European record 38 matches while ending Argentina’s bid to become the first team since 1962 to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup. Although Argentina fell short in the final, their journey once again captivated supporters around the world, especially in India, where the team’s popularity has grown significantly since Messi led the nation to World Cup glory in 2022. Caucino’s message acknowledged that lasting connection, thanking Indian fans for sticking by Argentina throughout the tournament despite the disappointment of seeing the defending champions finish as runners-up.