Lionel Messi has acknowledged Spain’s superiority after Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, saying the better team deserved to lift the trophy.
According to The Independent on July 20, 2026, Messi admitted Argentina had hoped to retain the World Cup but struggled to match Spain’s performance throughout the final.
The Argentina captain said his team fought hard but recognized that Spain dominated the contest. He noted that, before extra time, Argentina had created few meaningful chances, failed to string together accurate passes consistently and found it difficult to threaten the Spanish goal.
With Spain unable to score during regular time, many observers expected the match to be decided by penalties, where Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, was considered a potential advantage.
However, Spain broke the deadlock 39 seconds into the second half of extra time when Ferran Torres converted from close range, securing a 1-0 victory and ending Argentina’s hopes of winning back-to-back World Cup titles.
Messi said he had desperately wanted to become world champion again but wished Spain well, acknowledging that the stronger side deserved the victory.
