Posted On: July 19th 2026, 11:03 pm
Lionel Messi was left in tears after Argentina’s World Cup title defence ended with a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The 39-year-old captain was visibly emotional after the final whistle as fans around the stadium chanted his name and held up placards in tribute to the Argentine legend following another historic World Cup campaign.
Spain sealed their second FIFA World Cup title thanks to substitute Ferran Torres, who scored the winner early in the second half of extra time after reacting quickest to a rebound.
Argentina’s hopes had already suffered a major blow when Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second booking in stoppage time of normal time, forcing the defending champions to play extra time with 10 men. Lionel Scaloni’s side struggled throughout the contest and did not register a single shot, on or off target, until the 115th minute.
The victory also saw Spain coach Luis de la Fuente make history, becoming the oldest manager to win the FIFA World Cup at the age of 65.
Despite the defeat, Messi reached another milestone by becoming only the second player to appear in three FIFA World Cup finals. At 39, he also became the oldest outfield player to feature in a World Cup final. Spain, however, had the final say as they reclaimed football’s biggest prize after a hard-fought 120-minute contest.
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