Lionel Messi breaks down in tears after World Cup break

Lionel Messi was left in tears after Argentina’s World Cup title defense ended with a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the World Cup final at 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 banners in tribute to the Argentina legend after another historic World Cup campaign.

Spain sealed their second World Cup title thanks to substitute Ferran Torres scoring early in the second half of extra time after reacting quickest to a rebound.

Spain vs Argentina FIFA World Cup Final: Highlights

Argentina’s hopes had already suffered a major blow when Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second booking in stoppage time in normal time, forcing the defending champions to play extra time with 10 men. Lionel Scaloni’s side struggled throughout the match and did not register a single shot, on or off target, until the 115th minute.

The victory also made history for Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente, who at the age of 65 became the oldest coach to win the FIFA World Cup.

Despite the defeat, Messi achieved another milestone by becoming only the second player to appear in three FIFA World Cup finals. At 39, he also became the oldest fielder to appear in a World Cup final. However, Spain had the final say as they claimed football’s biggest prize after a hard-fought 120-minute match.

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Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

20 Jul 2026 04:10 IST