The Argentine national team concluded its journey in the 2026 World Cup with a painful 1-0 loss to Spain in the final match, as its captain Lionel Messi suffered his second defeat in World Cup finals, following a career full of achievements and historic records.

The loss in the 2026 final was a repeat of the 2014 World Cup scenario, when Argentina fell to Germany 1-0 in the final, and Messi left the tournament on the verge of achieving his biggest dream.

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However, the 'Tango' captain managed to compensate for that disappointment eight years later, when he led Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, defeating France on penalties, achieving his first World Cup title and immortalizing his name among the legends of the game. In the 2026 edition, Messi led his country to the final for the third time in his career, delivering a notable individual performance, but the Spanish team succeeded in stopping the Argentine dream, and 'The Flea' settled for being runner-up for the second time in his history. Despite losing the title, Messi remains one of the greatest players in World Cup history, having reached three finals, winning one and losing two, in an extraordinary career that will remain in the memory of world football.