Lionel Messi has spoken publicly for the first time since Argentina's heartbreaking defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday, admitting the loss will take considerable time to come to terms with.

Spain claimed the title with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Ferran Torres goal in the 106th minute of extra time. Argentina's challenge was compounded in the 93rd minute when Enzo Fernandez received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi, leaving the Albiceleste to defend with ten men through the remainder of the contest.

The statistics told a damning story for Argentina — they managed just two attempts at goal and failed to register a single shot on target throughout the entire match, while Spain were dominant from the first whistle to the last.

Messi's emotional message to Argentina

In a heartfelt statement, Messi expressed the depth of his anguish while also urging his country to reflect on what this squad had accomplished during the tournament.