Argentina’s star player, Lionel Messi, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to fans on Monday, following Argentina’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final held in New Jersey.
After the match, Messi was visibly emotional, facing an uncertain future with the national team as he failed to find a way to salvage the game for Argentina.
“The pain is immense and it will take time for this wound to heal,” he shared on Instagram in Spanish. “However, I cherish all the good moments—the matches we turned around, giving our all, which will forever remain in our memories—and the overwhelming support from a nation that, along with our hard work, has brought us back among the world’s best.”
“Thank you sincerely for every greeting and every message. We once again managed to unite as a country and share the immense pride of being Argentine.”
“I also want to extend my congratulations to Spain for their championship victory.”
The Inter Miami forward had previously led Argentina to glory in the 2022 World Cup final against France, adding to consecutive Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. His goal tally in the tournament rose to 125, placing him second to Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 146.
On Sunday, the president of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio Tapia, paid tribute to Messi, acknowledging his significant contributions to the national team.
Messi made history as the first player to start three World Cup finals, though he was unable to make an impact in the match against Spain, despite having previously excelled with eight goals and four assists throughout the tournament.