NEW DELHI: Lionel Messi shared an emotional message following Argentina’s 0-1 defeat by Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday. While admitting the defeat hurt, the 39-year-old said he was proud of what Argentina had achieved in their title defence.Spain ended Argentina’s hopes of becoming the first team in 64 years to successfully defend FIFA World Cup. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute of extra time to give La Roja their second World Cup title.Taking to Instagram after the final, Messi thanked Argentina’s supporters and said the team should always be proud of reaching the World Cup final.“The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal. But I also hold on to all the good things… The encounters we returned giving everything – moments that will remain in our memories forever – and the support of a healthy country that, combined with the work and effort of this group, brought us back to the world elite. It’s hard to fully appreciate our success now, but this group has reached two consecutive World Cup finals,” Messi wrote.“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message. Once again, we were able to unite as a country and stay together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine,” he said.“I also want to congratulate Spain for winning the championship,” added Messi.Despite the heartbreak, the mood in Buenos Aires reflected pride, with fans applauding a team that reached another World Cup final and fought until the end.
How Spain ended the rule of Argentina
Torres scored his first goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the biggest moment of all, coming off the bench to fire Spain to a 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina and keep La Roja at the top of world football.The substitute struck in the 106th minute, denying Lionel Messi a second consecutive World Cup title in what the Argentina captain indicated was his final appearance at the tournament.Torres reacted quickest to a ball bouncing in the penalty area and smashed a left-footed shot just under the crossbar to seal Spain’s second World Cup title after their triumph in 2010.