Lionel Messi spoke out for the first time about Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final since the Tango team lost 0-1 to Spain after extra time on the pitch in New Jersey.
Ferran Torres scored the solitary goal in the 106th minute, helping Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to take the throne as World Cup champions for the second time in history under the leadership of coach Luis de la Fuente. Argentina was almost completely outplayed throughout the match and failed to manage a single shot toward the opponent’s goal before conceding.
Coach Lionel Scaloni’s team faced even more difficulty when Enzo Fernandez was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. With a defensively-oriented tactic, Lionel Messi had almost no opportunity to showcase his skills and only truly got to play more on the ball when Argentina was forced to push up in search of an equalizer after conceding.
The match also featured many controversial situations. Messi reacted to the referee after a moment where Marc Cucurella covered his mouth with his hand while speaking with him, while Enzo Fernandez also demanded the referee issue a red card to the Spanish defender. After the final whistle, the atmosphere became even more tense with altercations between players of both teams.
In the end, Messi had to accept the World Cup silver medal in what was believed to be his last match on this stage. The words “The Last Tango” on the 39-year-old superstar’s boots further raised speculation about the possibility of his retirement from the Argentina national team, although to date Messi has not yet made any official statement regarding his future.
In the letter, Messi wrote: “The pain is immense and it will take time for this wound to heal.”
“But I also want to hold onto all the good things, the matches where we made comebacks with all our effort, and the moments that will forever be kept in our memories.”
“I will always remember the support of the entire country. Together with the dedication and effort of this collective, we once again brought Argentina back among the best teams in the world.”
“Right now, it is difficult to appreciate what we have accomplished… but this group has truly featured in two consecutive World Cup finals.”
In the open letter, Messi made no mention of the controversial situations involving several Argentine players in the final. Instead, he emphasized that the entire country united and shared immense pride in being Argentine.
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone for the words of encouragement and the messages people have sent. Once again, we stood shoulder to shoulder as a country, sharing the great pride of being Argentine.”
Closing the letter, Messi did not forget to send congratulations to Spain following their World Cup championship: “I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the World Cup.
