Lionel Scaloni, head coach of the Argentina national team, expressed his sadness after losing the 2026 World Cup title to Spain, stressing that his players gave their utmost throughout the match and that the Spanish team deserved to win the tournament. Argentina lost the final 1-0 to Spain, in the match held on Sunday evening at MetLife Stadium, leaving the defending champions to settle for second place after an impressive run in the tournament. Scaloni said in remarks after the match: 'We feel great sadness, but we know we gave everything we had. There is a lot to talk about regarding our journey to the final, but this is not the right time for that.' The Argentina coach praised the level displayed by the Spanish team, saying: 'I congratulate Spain; they were the best and deserved the win. I will keep the pride in what our players have done to reach this stage. Just as we know how to celebrate victories, we must also know how to deal with defeats, and today we proved that.' Scaloni revealed that his team played the final match under clear physical strain, explaining: 'We reached the final suffering physically, and that is a fact, but the players fought until the end and gave everything they had. This is something to be proud of and a model to follow.' The Argentine manager concluded his remarks with a message of support for his players, stressing that they do not deserve any criticism after what they have shown in the tournament, saying: 'Reaching the final is not easy, so I am grateful for what this team has achieved. I cannot blame any player; everyone gave their best.' Despite losing the title, the Argentina national team delivered a strong performance in the 2026 World Cup, reaching the final for the second consecutive time, before the Spanish team claimed the world title after a 16-year absence.

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