Lionel Messi has broken his silence on social media following Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain, an emotional loss that saw the forward in tears on the pitch. Messi had been attempting to lead his country to a second consecutive World Cup title, but Argentina fell short in the final.
The match was marked by controversy, with an investigation reportedly underway into Argentina's conduct after the game. Reports indicated that some players, including Leandro Paredes, displayed aggressive behavior at the final whistle.
Messi himself drew attention during the game for an incident involving Spain's Marc Cucurella. The star player attempted to get Cucurella sent off for covering his mouth during the second half, an appeal that was unsuccessful. Messi finished the tournament second in the Golden Boot rankings, behind France's Kylian Mbappe.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Messi conveyed his deep disappointment. "The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal," he wrote. "But I also hold onto all the good things... The matches we turned around by giving it our all—moments that will remain in our memories forever—and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group's hard work and effort, brought us back among the world's elite once again."
He added, "It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and stand together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine. I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship."
Following the loss, the Argentina squad faced criticism for turning their backs as Spain received the World Cup trophy at MetLife Stadium. Footage showed the Argentine players, coaching team, and staff walking to the opposite end of the stadium, facing their own fans, while their Spanish rivals celebrated. Messi and his teammates also declined to speak with the media in the immediate aftermath of the defeat. Argentina registered only two shots during the entire match, with their first shot on goal occurring in the 117th minute.