Lionel Messi Speaks Out After Argentina Loses World Cup to Spain

After a heartbreaking loss against Spain during the World Cup final, Lionel Messi is forever grateful for how far he and Team Argentina made it.

On July 19, Spain beat the reigning champs 1-0 in extra time, ending an incredible and historic World Cup run for the 39-year-old soccer legend.

Reflecting on the painful defeat in a July 20 Instagram post, Messi shared a photo of himself wearing his second place medal while on the pitch.

“El dolor es muy grande y va a costar que cierre esta herida,” he wrote in Spanish, which translates to, “The pain is immense and this wound will take time to heal.”

“But I will also hold onto all the good memories… The matches where we turned it around and gave it our all, moments that will remain in our memories forever, the support from our entire country which, with this group’s hard work and effort, brought us back among the best in the world,” he continued.

The one-time World Cup champ did note that right now, at this moment, “It is hard to fully appreciate” all that he and the team accomplished during the tournament.

“But this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals,” he wrote. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and every message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and be together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentinian.”

He concluded his post by taking a moment to send a message to the new World Cup champs.

“I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship,” he wrote.

His comments section was filled with fans and brands thanking him for everything he’s contributed to the sport and his country. Many also called him the greatest of all time.

While this may be Messi’s final World Cup, the soccer star has participated in a total of six. He is, however, not retiring. The forward is currently a captain for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. In 2025, he signed a contract with the team that extends through the 2028 MLS season.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will have a short break as Inter Miami’s next match is July 22. Though, at this time, there is no confirmation if he will be playing in the game.