WATCH: Spain players form guard of honour for Messi after World Cup win

Spain's players produced one of the defining moments of sportsmanship after winning the FIFA World Cup 2026, forming a guard of honour for Lionel Messi and the Argentina squad as they collected their runners-up medals following the final at MetLife Stadium.Moments after securing a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina, several Spanish players first walked across the pitch to embrace and console Messi, whose hopes of leading his country to back-to-back World Cup titles had just come to an end.The Barcelona legend, who had struggled to make his usual impact against Spain's disciplined defence, sank to the turf after the final whistle, staring into the distance as the magnitude of the defeat sank in.As the medal ceremony began, Spain's newly crowned world champions lined up to create a guard of honour for the Argentine players on their way to the podium.