Messi expresses immense pain after Argentina’s World Cup final loss to Spain

By Arjun Nair / 21.07.2026

By Arjun Nair — 20 July 2026 — 4 min read

Lionel Messi has described the pain as “immense” following Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final. The loss, secured by Ferran Torres’ goal, marked Spain’s second World Cup title and concluded Argentina’s defence of their previous title. This is the second World Cup final Messi has lost, with the first being in 2014 against Germany.

At 39 years old, Messi’s participation in the 2030 tournament is uncertain, as he has not yet confirmed his international future. He shared his feelings on social media, stating that the wound would take time to heal but also reflecting on the positive aspects of their journey.

Messi reflects on Argentina’s journey

Messi acknowledged the team’s efforts in turning around matches and the memorable moments created. He highlighted the support from their country, which, combined with the team’s hard work, brought Argentina back to the global elite. Despite the immediate disappointment, he noted the significance of reaching two consecutive World Cup finals.

He expressed gratitude for the messages of support, emphasising how the team’s performance united the country and fostered a shared sense of Argentine pride. Messi also extended congratulations to Spain for their victory.

Throughout the tournament, Messi was a key contributor, scoring eight goals and providing four assists as Argentina reached the final for the third time in the past four World Cups. He played a crucial role in the knockout stages, helping his side come from behind to defeat Egypt and England. However, they were unable to overcome a Spain team that conceded only one goal throughout the entire competition.

Spain’s celebrations and reflections

Spain’s victory was sealed by Ferran Torres’ goal in the 106th minute. Rodrigo Hernández, who had watched Spain’s first World Cup win in 2010 from a remote camp, was present in the US for this second triumph. He collected the trophy, waiting for Donald Trump to leave the stage before lifting it.

Rodri also received the award for the tournament’s best player. Other individual accolades included Pau Cubarsí for the young player award and Unai Simón for the Golden Glove. Each Spain player received a replica World Cup trophy in a Louis Vuitton trunk, along with a Lego version. Players departed laden with memorabilia, including cut pieces of the net and NBA-style rings.

Before the final, Marc Cucurella reportedly buried a coin in the pitch, mirroring an action by Joan Capdevila in 2010. Following the match, Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Ramos presented the trophy to the new generation of players. Borja Iglesias and Lamine Yamal were among those who passed by Trump before Rodri lifted the trophy.

Nico Williams shared his medal with his mother in the front row. A notable moment occurred when Lamine Yamal embraced Lionel Messi, who stood up for the young player. Ferran Torres described the win as a “great liberation,” reflecting on past struggles and believing in destiny. Celebrations continued in the dressing room with champagne, though they were brief due to a scheduled flight to Spain.

Players like Borja Iglesias and Lamine Yamal were seen with various items, including a large red speaker playing music and orange sunglasses, respectively. Commemorative shirts, bearing “Spain 26” on the back, were also distributed.

Tactical dominance and coaching triumph

The match saw Spain dominate, with Torres’ goal being their 20th shot of the game. Argentina did not manage a shot until the 115th minute and had no shots on target throughout the entire match. This marked only the third time in 900 World Cup games, for which Opta has statistics, that a team failed to shoot on target in a final. Spain’s defensive strength was evident, having an expected goals against (xG against) of 0.3 per game for the tournament.

Unai Simón commented that his gloves “didn’t have much work to do,” while Aymeric Laporte noted that Spain did not overly rely on their back line. This victory is seen as a triumph of a collective effort and a clear idea, built over 51 days. It also represents a significant achievement for coach Luis de la Fuente and his system.

De la Fuente, whose coaching career began in the third tier with Deportivo Alavés, later joined the Spanish federation’s youth system. He won the European Championship with the under-19s and under-21s, then with the senior side, and now the World Cup. Following the win, De la Fuente joked about Marc Cucurella’s promise to get a tattoo of his face if Spain won, noting that Cucurella had made a “bad mistake” but that the players were “men of their word.”

Source: bbc.com