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Lionel MessiA glittering trip to the World Cup ended in heartbreak, but the love of Argentina’s fans never faded. Moments after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium, emotional scenes unfolded as Messi fought back tears as thousands of Argentina fans rose to pay tribute to the man who carried their hopes for two decades. Even in defeat, cries of “Messi! Messi!” echoed through the stadium as the Argentine faithful continued to chant for their captain. With a look of anguish on his face, the 39-year-old stood with his team-mates and greeted the applause of the fans as Spain celebrated lifting the trophy in the middle of the pitch. The defeat ended Argentina’s hopes of becoming the first nation in more than 50 years to successfully defend FIFA World Cup. Ferran Torres sealed the contest just 37 seconds into the second overtime after being set up by Nico Williams, giving Spain a 1-0 victory and their second World Cup title. Messi, who has inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and also led the country to back-to-back Copa América titles, endured a frustrating evening as Spain’s disciplined display denied him any chance of making an impact in the final. While Lamine Yamal rushed to celebrate Torres’ winner, Messi could only hang his head in disappointment.Spain’s dominance was reflected in the numbers. Luis de la Fuente’s side outshot Argentina 20-2, the second-highest goal difference in a World Cup final since 1966, and completed 845 passes compared to Argentina’s 433. The new champions also finished the tournament conceding just one goal, extending their unbeaten run to a European record 38 games. Messi, appearing in a record 34th World Cup match in six editions, found little space against Spain’s organized defence. In the first half, he managed to throw in only 15 touches, and the match ended with 54, rarely receiving the ball in dangerous positions. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente admitted that containing Messi was central to his team’s game plan. “The first idea was to keep Messi away,” he said. After the final whistle, several Spanish players crossed the field to hug and console the Argentine captain. Messi eventually fell to the turf, staring into the distance before getting up to collect his runner-up medal. Spain later formed a guard of honor as Argentina walked to the podium. Messi tried to smile, but his disappointment was unmistakable, with several Spanish players patting him on the back in respect. As golden confetti rained down on Spain’s celebrations, Messi quietly left the pitch carrying his silver medal. His shoulders were slumped, his expression reflecting the pain of a dream that had eluded him, as Argentina fans continued to chant his name in gratitude for a career that has inspired generations.
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