July 20, 08:16

Spain defeats Argentina in World Cup final, ending Messi's dream

The hopes of Argentine fans in Buenos Aires for an epic comeback led by Lionel Messi in the FIFA World Cup were dashed after the team lost to Spain with a score of 1-0. The atmosphere of nervous excitement and loud cheers turned into mournful groans, tension, and tears.

Fan Reaction in Buenos Aires

At the Cafe Relax bar in the historic center of Buenos Aires, fans expressed deep sadness, crying after the final whistle, believing this was likely 39-year-old Messi's last chance to participate in the World Cup. One visitor, 22-year-old architecture student Camilo Chichero, shared his feelings: 'I feel emptiness. Emptiness because of Messi, because I won't see him in the World Cup anymore. This is the last one.' His friend Juan Saenz, a 22-year-old law student, added that it was the end of the Messi era, as he was born while Messi was playing.

Despite the defeat, not everyone was in tears. Fireworks lit up the city, car horns sounded, and thousands of fans headed to the famous Obelisk, a traditional site for football celebrations. Initially disappointed, they soon began celebrating their team, and many stated that despite the loss, they would take to the streets on Monday to meet the team.

President Javier Milei wrote on X, thanking the players: 'Thank you very much, players! You fought until the end. Argentina will always stand proud.'

Before the match, Argentinians, dressed in national uniforms and flags, arrived at bars and public squares in New Jersey on a cold day, full of excitement.

Match Progression and Tension

At the Cafe Relax bar, where a flag reading 'do not forget' about the Falkland Islands, which Argentina occupied in 1982, the atmosphere intensified until halftime. In the second half, excited shouts gave way to angry outbursts, and profanity became more frequent. Some spectators sat with their arms crossed, tapping their feet or hiding their heads in the flag.

Before extra time, 87-year-old Teresa Dolores del Rio Varela expressed concern, noting that the match was dragging on and she wanted it to end quickly. Joaquin Romero, a 22-year-old salesman, considered the game 'incredibly difficult' but remained optimistic, stating: 'We are Argentinians. We are champions, and we will win.'

Climax and Match Result

However, this did not happen. Fernando Torres' dramatic goal in extra time plunged the bar into silence for the last agonizing minutes. Chichero expressed regret for Messi but disappointment with the game, saying: 'I didn't like Argentina's game. I didn't like the game plan, the substitutions, the players. I didn't like the referee.'

62-year-old pensioner Abel Torres, who played the juggler and made vuvuzela sounds throughout the match, shed tears, describing the game as 'incredibly emotional.' He noted that Argentina gave everything, demonstrating that despite difficulties, the team always rises again.

www.khaleejtimes.comJuly 20, 10:13

Lionel Messi was disappointed after Argentina's loss to Spain in the World Cup final

Lionel Messi could have finally settled debates about who is the greatest player of all time by winning another World Cup with Argentina on Sunday, but he remained in tears after Spain's 1-0 victory.

Match progression and final

Messi, who was 39 at the time, helped the team reach yet another final by scoring eight goals and providing two assists in a dramatic comeback against England in the semi-final. Nevertheless, the dream of lifting the trophy again, four years after the triumph in Qatar, proved unattainable.

The ten-man Argentine squad could not resist Spain at the MetLife Stadium, and they were lucky to last until the 106th minute when Ferran Torres finally opened the scoring.

Reaction of players and fans

The South Americans looked uncertain throughout the match, facing serious difficulties after Enzo Fernandez was sent off in stoppage time. The final eluded Messi, and when he cried, it seemed as if he would have been better off leaving the field that glorious night in Doha in 2022.

While the Spanish team celebrated this hard-fought victory, a completely different picture unfolded on the opposite side of the pitch: the Argentinians, along with the fans, were stunned. Despite the defeat, the supporters demonstrated their unwavering support, singing to welcome Messi as tears streamed down his face on one of the most historic days of his career.

Messi's achievements and statistics

Argentine forward Lionel Messi has scored only 54 times, with almost half of those goals scored in extra time, and he still failed to score the goal that would tie Kylian Mbappé's overall World Cup record of 22 goals. It was difficult not to conclude that he might have hindered his team when they were reduced to ten men—he remained the only forward, whereas under any other circumstances, coach Lionel Scaloni would surely have brought on fresh attacking talent Lautaro Martinez.

Argentina failed to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962, but this day was nevertheless significant for Messi. He became the second player to feature in three World Cup finals, alongside Brazilian great Cafu. Pelé won three World Cups but did not participate in the 1962 final due to injury, and Maradona played in two finals.

History of defeats and career

If there are still skeptics about Messi, they can point out that he has now lost two finals, and this defeat followed the loss to Germany in 2014. The Sunday final took place at the same stadium where he sensationally announced his departure from the national team at the age of 29 in 2016. By then, he had accumulated over 100 matches and was already considered one of the greatest players of all time due to his achievements at Barcelona.

However, with Argentina, he had already lost three major finals, including the 2014 World Cup final, when he arrived at MetLife Stadium for the decisive Copa America match in Centenario in 2016 against Chile. The match ended in a 0-0 draw, after which Messi missed a penalty in the penalty shootout, and Argentina lost again. At that time, he stated: 'For me, the national team is over.'

After that, he enjoyed an incredible late-career resurgence with his country, winning the Copa America twice in a row in 2021 and 2024, flanking the 2022 World Cup. The 2026 tournament in North America initially seemed like the icing on the cake for Messi, as he scored a hat-trick in the first match against Algeria, and the goals continued to come.

He now has over 200 matches, and he has played a record 34 World Cup matches across six tournaments, which will likely mark the end of his World Cup career, considering he will turn 40 in 2030. Nevertheless, there may be calls for him to play for his country a little longer, especially given his contract with Inter Miami until 2028. It was a glorious career, but Sunday's final proved to be too heavy a test for Messi and Argentina.