Twenty years after his debut, Messi exits FIFA World Cup in tears and as football's greatest
Lionel Messi concluded his international career with a silver medal after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final. Despite the loss, Messi was celebrated by his coach and fans as one of the greatest players in football history.
Why it matters
This marks the end of an era for one of the most influential athletes in global sports history.
Tears rolled down Lionel Messi's face as he walked away with a silver medal around his neck. Spain had beaten Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup final, ending the defending champions' title defence and what could well be the last World Cup appearance of the greatest footballer the game has seen.Twenty years after making his World Cup debut, the 39-year-old could not produce one more miracle. Argentina, chasing back-to-back World Cup titles, were outplayed by Spain for long periods at MetLife Stadium, where 80,663 spectators had largely turned up hoping to watch their Messi-ah lift the trophy once again.Instead, it was Spain celebrating their second World Cup title.Ferran Torres scored just 37 seconds into the second half of extra time to settle the final after Spain had dominated the contest from the opening whistle.
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