At Buenos Aires’ Monumental, Lionel Messi brought an Argentina career spanning more than two decades to a close and used the occasion to address the painful final chapter of the 2026 World Cup: the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final.
Speaking to Argentina supporters in an emotional farewell, the former captain rejected suggestions that anything untoward had affected the team’s route to the deciding match. Instead, he pointed to the physical and emotional toll of the demanding encounter with England before the final, saying the squad had been drained by the time it faced Spain.
A final shaped by the road to it
“We came incredibly close, and nothing strange happened, despite what has been said,” Messi told the crowd. “The match against England was like many others, but it was exhausting for us — very exhausting.”
Argentina had earned its place in the final through its performances and the quality of its football, Messi said, but the exertion required to overcome England carried into the contest with Spain. The Albiceleste fell by a single goal, missing the chance to retain the world title.
Messi also left a message for the national side beyond his departure. He urged the players and those around the team to preserve their unity, arguing that a close group is essential when pursuing football’s biggest prizes.
“As I said in our last talk, to achieve major objectives you need a united group,” he said. “There are people who want to see the national team doing badly, and we must not give them that satisfaction.”
