The Argentina captain, 39, was contained in the championship matchup on Sunday, July 19, thanks to Spain’s smothering defense
Credit: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Lionel Messi was emotional after the World Cup final loss to Spain
- The Argentina captain was contained throughout the match thanks to Spain’s smothering defense
- Messi, 39, later tearfully accepted his runners-up medal
After losing the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain on Sunday, July 19, Lionel Messi wore his emotions on his jersey sleeves.
At the age of 39, the Argentina soccer star’s future is in doubt — and it was written all over his tearful face.
Messi was seen gazing into the stands, soaking in the disappointing moment after receiving a runners-up medal at New York New Jersey Stadium as Spain celebrated its 1-0 win.
Argentina battled Spain’s smothering defense, but Messi was limited to just 15 touches during the first half, according to ESPN.
The attacker was never in a position to score, and neither was any other player: Argentina was held to zero shots on goal.
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The game’s only goal came after regulation, in the 106th minute, when Spain’s Ferran Torres got past Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez.
“The first idea was to keep Messi at bay,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said, regarding his team’s strategy for containing the forward.
“When you have Messi on the other side, well, you are nervous,” Torres added. “At the end of the day, we always depended on us. We always come up with our football, and we showed it again.”
After Messi — who has played in six World Cups —walked off the pitch, the Argentine Football Association shared its appreciation for the legend.
“Your tears are our tears, Captain,” the AFA wrote on X. “You gave us the greatest joys of our lives. Thank you for the dedication, for the magic, and for giving it your all until the very last second. We love you forever, Leo!”
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