"The pain is immense," says Messi of World Cup defeat
Lionel Messi expressed deep disappointment following Argentina's loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. The 39-year-old forward acknowledged the pain of the defeat while congratulating the Spanish team on their victory.
Why it matters
This marks a significant moment in sports history as one of the world's most iconic athletes reflects on a major career defeat in what may be his final World Cup cycle.
Lionel Messi said on Monday (July 20, 2026) that after Argentina's World Cup final loss, "the pain is immense and it's going to take a long time for this wound to heal."
"I'd also like to congratulate Spain on winning the tournament," added the 39-year-old, who broke down in tears after the defeat.
In the knockout rounds, Argentina came from behind to beat Egypt and England and had to go to extra time to beat Cape Verde and Switzerland.
"With the matches we turned around by giving our all - matches that will remain in our memories forever - and with the support of an entire country, which, together with the hard work and effort of this squad, led us to once again be among the best in the world," the Inter Miami forward wrote in the post.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in