(VIDEO) Messi Left in Tears as Spain Denies Argentina Historic Repeat World Cup Title With Late Winner Goal

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Lionel Messi was left in tears and with his international future uncertain after he was unable to conjure up one more piece of magic to save Argentina from defeat to Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.

Ferran Torres scored 37 seconds into the second period of extra time, lifting Spain to a 1-0 victory and the country’s second World Cup title, denying Messi and Argentina the chance to become the first back-to-back men’s champion since Brazil accomplished the feat in 1962.

Speaking after the match, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni reflected on Messi’s legacy regardless of Sunday’s outcome. “I hope that everyone feels proud of him, of what he’s achieved because he’s the best football player ever stepping foot on a pitch,” Scaloni said.

An uncertain path forward

Whether Sunday marked Messi’s final appearance in an Argentina jersey remains an open question. Messi had previously said the 2022 World Cup, which Argentina won, would be his last major tournament before going on to become the first man in history to play in six World Cups just last month. Scaloni said afterward that he had not yet spoken with Messi about whether the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner intends to continue playing for the national team. Messi, along with the rest of Argentina’s players, did not stop to speak with reporters as they exited the stadium following the loss.

Inside a stadium packed with 80,663 fans, the overwhelming majority appeared to be rooting for a recoronation of Messi as a two-time champion. Instead, he fought back tears and wore a look of visible anguish as he and his teammates faced applauding, bowing Argentina supporters at the stadium’s south end, even as Spanish players lifted the trophy on a podium at midfield.

A dominant performance from Spain

Spain’s control of the match was thorough from start to finish, both in Sunday’s final and across the tournament as a whole. La Furia Roja held a commanding 20-2 advantage in shots and out-passed Argentina 845 to 433 over the course of the match.

Torres, who scored the decisive goal, described the psychological weight of facing Messi in a final. “When you have Messi on the other side, well, you are nervous,” Torres said. “At the end of the day, we always depended on us. We always come up with our football, and we showed it again.”

After leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 final against France, sandwiched between consecutive Copa América titles, Messi could only bow his head, grimace and place his hands on his hips as Spain’s Lamine Yamal, not yet a week past his 19th birthday and already regarded as the sport’s next transcendent star, ran to embrace Torres following the winning goal.

From doubts in MLS to World Cup history

When Messi left European soccer for Major League Soccer three years ago, having collected four Champions League medals and 12 league titles between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, some speculated he might quietly fade into retirement. Instead, he led Argentina back to this year’s final, contributing eight goals and four assists across the tournament and lifting his career World Cup goal total to 21, a mark that had stood as the all-time record until France’s Kylian Mbappé scored twice in Saturday’s third-place match to move ahead of him with 22.

Messi also became the first player in history to start three separate World Cup finals, and Sunday’s match pushed his career international goal total to 125, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo’s mark of 146. For many observers, this tournament only further cemented Messi’s standing as the greatest player in the sport’s history, surpassing even Diego Maradona and three-time World Cup champion Pelé in the eyes of many fans and analysts.

A frustrating final for Argentina’s captain

Messi’s distinctive playing style, a slow, deliberate walk with his arms swinging at his sides before bursting into a sprint at the decisive moment, made him the center of attention any time he touched the ball on the right flank. Opponents and fans alike anticipated his signature cut toward the center of the field, followed by a shot from his dangerous left foot.

On Sunday, however, Messi finished with just 15 touches in the first half and 54 total for the match, at a stadium where he has repeatedly faced frustration over the years. He had famously announced his retirement from international soccer following a penalty-shootout loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa América final at the same venue, only to reverse that decision 47 days later and eventually lead Argentina to its third World Cup title.

Against Spain, Messi was never able to receive the ball in a dangerous scoring position, and his attempted passes to teammates repeatedly failed to connect. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente acknowledged after the match that neutralizing Messi had been central to his team’s game plan. “The first idea was to keep Messi at bay,” de la Fuente said.

A gracious moment amid the heartbreak

Half a dozen Spanish players approached Messi after the final whistle to hug and console him. Messi dropped to the grass, sitting with his hands behind him, staring ahead in visible disbelief. When Spain’s players later formed a guard of honor for Argentina’s squad to walk through en route to receiving their second-place medals, Messi attempted to smile but could not manage it, maintaining a blank expression as a few Spanish opponents patted him on the back and chest in a show of respect.

Spain crowned a global soccer power

With the win, Spain became the first nation in history to simultaneously hold both the men’s and women’s World Cup titles, further cementing the country’s status as the dominant force in international soccer. As gold confetti fluttered down onto the celebrating Spanish players, Messi walked out through one of the stadium’s corner exits, his shoulders hunched and his expression somber, closing out a tournament that may yet prove to be the final chapter of his extraordinary World Cup career.