Despite a heroic effort from Lionel Messi and Argentina to secure back-to-back World Cup titles, they fell short against a dominant Spain squad, settling for the silver medal. Following the final whistle, a visibly emotional Messi was caught in tears as he applauded the traveling Argentine fanbase.
It wasn’t just likely his final World Cup appearance with Argentina; it was also his last chance to walk away with one more trophy in his cabinet. Despite the heartbreak, Argentine supporters flooded the icon with praise.
In one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 World Cup awards ceremony, Messi was snubbed for the Golden Ball, which went to Rodri instead. Despite Messi racking up eight goals, four assists, and six Man of the Match awards throughout the tournament, it was the Spanish captain who walked away with the individual hardware.
While Ferran Torres admitted that Lionel Messi’s mere presence put immense pressure on Spain, the Spanish side ultimately took care of business as Argentina struggled to find their rhythm.
Messi is visibly emotional after playing in what could be his final FIFA World Cup match.
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026
If this is it, thank you Leo 🩵 pic.twitter.com/CZfteurfH1
Messi unable to break the curse
Argentina may have captured the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but this loss to Spain dashed Messi’s hopes of breaking the long-standing FIFA ranking curse. However, there is nothing there to say to the Argentine star after his magnificent performance.
The defeat also widened the gap between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of career final losses. With both icons on the verge of retirement, it’s highly unlikely either will ever grace a World Cup final stage again.
