Lionel Messi has sent a heartfelt message to fans after Argentina's loss in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain, which ended 1-0 after extra time.
Messi wrote on his Instagram account: "The pain is very great, and it will be difficult for this wound to heal, but I also hold on to all the beautiful moments...".
He added: "In many matches where we succeeded in turning the results around after giving our all, which will remain etched in memory, and with the support of an entire nation that contributed, alongside the work and effort of this group, to our return once again to the ranks of the best national teams in the world."
He added: "Thank you from the heart for every greeting and every message. We have succeeded once again in unity as one country, standing together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine."
"I would like to congratulate Spain on winning the title," he concluded.
The coach emphasized: "It may be difficult today to assess what we have achieved, but this group has reached the World Cup final twice in a row."
