Just under a month after the 2026 World Cup final against Spain, Nicolas Tagliafico broke his silence on his streaming broadcast to reflect on Argentina‘s runner-up finish, emphasizing that reaching two consecutive finals is no easy feat. At the same time, he addressed his future with Argentina, specifically regarding the upcoming 2030 World Cup.
“I valued it much more, perhaps because it was the last one. I think it was the last one, I cannot make another. I felt like I played the World Cup before starting the World Cup,” the Olympique de Lyon player shared on his live stream.
“A soccer player’s career is short and you think ‘may the final stage never arrive,’ but it arrives. You have to take it calmly and know that you gave everything and more, but everything has an end, as the song says,” he continued.
Tagliafico urges fans to value World Cup accomplishment
Tagliafico not only talks about himself, but also about how fans need to value what was accomplished more, as reaching two consecutive finals is no easy task. While fans have grown accustomed to seeing this in recent years between Argentina and France, the sacrifice required is tremendous.
Nicolas Tagliafico of Argentina and Lamine Yamal of Spain.
“We already have the gold one from 2022. Here we have this one,” the fullback said, displaying the silver medal the team received after the match at MetLife Stadium. “We have to be proud of the World Cup that was played. It is not easy to reach two finals or have two medals.”
He immediately added: “You have to give it importance and also know how to lose. This shows that you made it, that you reached the final and gave everything. It’s soccer, you can win and you can lose.”
Addressing what happened in the final against Spain and how the squad arrived at the match, he noted: “I don’t want it to sound like excuses, but we reached the final physically and mentally exhausted. Spain played very well and were deserved winners. We played poorly.” Regarding the pitch, he stated: “The pitch in the final was bad. The stadium was dry. It was so hot, and we played early due to television factors.”
Tagliafico standout performer in the final
It is worth noting that his individual performance in the tournament final was one of the highest points for Argentina, as he managed to neutralize young Spanish star Lamine Yamal for much of the match.
For many, he was Argentina’s most consistent player, showing the best resurgence, standing out as one of the team’s highest points, and serving as arguably Argentina’s best player in the final.
