Argentine Lionel Scaloni, coach of his country's national football team, admitted that Spain was the better team in the World Cup final on Sunday in New York, USA. 'La Roja' won 1-0 thanks to a goal by substitute striker Ferran Torres at the start of the second half of extra time, while the runners-up and defending champions completed the match with 10 players at MetLife Stadium. Scaloni said in media remarks: 'They were the better team, that is the truth, but I will keep the memory of my team, what they achieved, and the value of reaching this stage.' He added: 'We must give this achievement great value because it requires enormous effort.' The Argentine coach believed his team should accept defeat with the same spirit with which they celebrated their recent successes, stressing: 'We are humble in victory, and we must be the same in defeat; today we prove that we know how to lose.' He continued: 'We lost the match and we accept that, but that does not mean we stop living or forget everything we did to get here.' He also thanked the fans for their exceptional support throughout the 2026 tournament, saying: 'I want to tell the fans, my players, and the country that we gave everything we had.' He stated: 'We arrived here aware of the reality of the situation, but when the players leave everything on the field, as they did today, it sets a great example for our people and our country. We must rise again; there is no other way.' Scaloni considered reaching the final for the second consecutive time in 48 years an achievement worthy of recognition. He said: 'I definitely appreciate the runner-up position, because getting here requires a lot, and I think it deserves great appreciation.' He added: 'Of course we wanted to win, but in the end I feel grateful; that is the only word I have, along with sadness of course, but when you give everything you have in this way, whether you play well or not, it is very hard to find something to blame yourself for.'