2026 World Cup : Argentina lose their crown after a nightmare night
Argentina had hoped to keep hold of the world title. Instead, they leave the United States empty-handed, beaten by a far better Spain side in every key area. Pinned back for long spells, the Albiceleste finally cracked in extra time when substitute Ferran Torres scored the winner, ending their back-to-back dream.
Beyond the result, it was the performance that raises the biggest questions. Lionel Scaloni’s side did not register their first shot until the 117th minute, a barely believable stat for a World Cup final. For almost two hours, Lionel Messi and his team-mates were mainly forced to defend, surrendering the initiative to a Roja side that eventually got the reward their dominance deserved.
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Messi’s final World Cup ends in tears
The contrast at the medal ceremony was brutal. On one side, Spain were celebrating their first world title. On the other, Lionel Messi walked up with his head down before breaking down in tears. The image flashed around the world in an instant.
At 39, the Argentina captain was almost certainly playing the final World Cup of his career. This time, he never found the space to change the game. His only shot came right at the end of extra time, far too late to save the day. His tally stays on 21 World Cup goals, while Kylian Mbappe now stands alone at the top of the all-time list.
A finale that boiled over
The frustration took over in the end. The fouls piled up as the minutes ticked away, and things got even hotter after the final whistle. Leandro Paredes lost his temper in a clash with several Spain players. Eric Garcia and then Gavi were right in the middle of the scrap before the two teams were pulled apart.
In truth, that summed up Argentina’s night. Scaloni’s men chased the ball for long spells and never really got a grip on the match. Even Emiliano Martinez, who was kept busy, ended up contributing more to the build-up than Argentina’s attackers did in the final third.
Four years after lifting the World Cup in Qatar, the Albiceleste head home from the United States without defending their title. For this group, and especially for Messi, it will be remembered as the night one chapter closed for good.
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