Following what might be his final World Cup match a tearful Lionel Messi reflected on Argentina's missed opportunity to win a second consecutive title after losing to Spain in Sunday's final in New Jersey.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Messi congratulated Spain and thanked his supporters without confirming if his World Cup career is officially over. "The pain is immense and this wound will take time to heal" he wrote. However he emphasized holding onto the positive moments and the immense support of the nation, noting that the team's hard work successfully brought Argentina back to the world's elite by reaching two consecutive World Cup finals.
Argentina who captured the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were strong contenders once again in 2026. They defeated England in the semifinals but ultimately fell to a resolute Spanish defence that held them without a single shot on goal in the championship match.
The 39-year-old Argentine captain broke Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup goal record early in the tournament finishing with 21 total goals. However France's Kylian Mbappe surpassed him to reach 22 all-time goals and claimed the 2026 Golden Boot with 10 goals in the tournament compared to Messi's eight.
To rest and recover from the intense tournament, Messi and his teammate Rodrigo De Paul will skip their next two matches for Inter Miami as well as the MLS All-Star Game. By the time the 2030 World Cup is hosted in Spain Portugal and Morocco Messi will be 43 years old.
