Lionel Messi broke his silence a day after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 North America World Cup final, expressing his disappointment.
According to Reuters, Messi wrote on social media on July 20, "The pain is too great, and it seems it will take a long time for this wound to heal."
Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in a tense match held in New Jersey, USA, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the second half of extra time, ending their hopes of back-to-back championships following their victory in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Messi acknowledged, "It is difficult to properly assess our achievements right now," but highlighted Argentina's accomplishment of reaching the World Cup final for the second consecutive time. He expressed gratitude to fans, stating, "The players' efforts and the support of the people brought the team back to the highest level in the world."
He added, "We once again united as a nation and shared a great pride in being Argentine," and extended congratulations to Spain for their victory.
At 39, Messi played in all eight matches of the tournament, scoring eight goals and providing four assists, leading Argentina to the final. This marked his third World Cup final appearance, following those in 2014 and 2022.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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