Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1050 EAT on Tuesday 21 July 2026

After what may have been his final FIFA World Cup appearance, Lionel Messi was left in tears on the pitch on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as Argentina’s hopes of defending their title ended with a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final.

Without confirming whether he had played his last World Cup match, Messi congratulated Spain on their victory and thanked Argentina’s supporters in an Instagram post on Monday, saying the tournament had left him with unforgettable memories despite the heartbreak of falling short.

“The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,” Messi wrote in his native Spanish alongside a photograph of himself wearing his runners-up medal.

“But I also hold on to all the good things… the matches we turned around by giving everything we had, moments that will stay with us forever, and the support of an entire country. Together with this group’s hard work and commitment, it brought us back among the world’s elite once again.

“It is difficult to fully appreciate what we achieved right now, but this team reached two consecutive World Cup finals.”

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after defeating France on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw, securing the final major trophy missing from Messi’s glittering career.

La Albiceleste were again among the standout teams at the 2026 World Cup in North America, overcoming England in the semi-finals before falling 1-0 to Spain in the final. Spain’s disciplined defence kept Argentina from registering a single shot on target.

Messi, who celebrated his 39th birthday during the tournament, would be 43 by the time the 2030 World Cup is held across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, leaving uncertainty over whether he has played his final match on football’s biggest stage.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and every message,” Messi wrote. “Once again, we managed to unite as a country and stand together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine.”

“I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship,” Messi added.
The Argentine captain surpassed Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16 World Cup goals early in the tournament and finished the competition with 21 goals.

However, his tally was later eclipsed by France’s Kylian Mbappé, who ended the tournament with 22.

Mbappé also claimed the Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals, ahead of Messi’s eight.
Meanwhile, ESPN reported on Monday that Messi and his Argentina and Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul will miss the club’s next two Major League Soccer regular-season matches, as well as the MLS All-Star Game, to allow time to rest and recover following their World Cup campaign.

-Aljazeera

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