Messi gives Spain their due after World Cup final heartbreak

Ferran Torres needed 37 seconds of the second period of extra time to wreck Argentina’s repeat bid and send Spain to the top of the men’s game again.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 on Sunday in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to ESPN News Services, with The Associated Press contributing to the report.

The result gave Spain its second World Cup title and stopped Argentina from becoming the first back-to-back men’s champion since Brazil in 1962. Lionel Messi, 39, was left in tears after the defeat and said Spain had earned it.

“They were better, to be honest,” Messi said, according to ESPN. “We lost the game, and we accept that. That doesn't mean that we will forget everything we've done so far, so I'd like to thank my people, my players and the country.”

Messi also said he felt sad, while adding that Argentina had “played our hearts out.”

Spain smothered the final

The scoreline was tight. The numbers were not. ESPN reported that Spain outshot Argentina 20-1 and completed far more passes, 845 to Argentina’s 433.

The crowd of 80,663 was largely behind Messi and Argentina, according to ESPN, hoping to see him become a two-time World Cup winner. Instead, Argentine players stood before their supporters while Spain celebrated with the trophy near midfield.

After the final whistle, ESPN reported that several Spain players went to Messi to hug and console him. During the medal ceremony, Spain formed a guard of honor for Argentina, and opponents patted Messi on the back and chest as he walked through.

Messi had 15 touches in the first half and 54 in the match, ESPN reported. The final was played at the same stadium where Argentina lost the 2016 Copa América final to Chile on penalties, after which Messi briefly retired from international soccer before reversing that decision 47 days later.

A giant tournament ends one step short

Messi came into the final after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title against France and winning consecutive Copa América championships. In this tournament, ESPN reported that he had eight goals and four assists, pushing his World Cup career total to 21 goals.

That record lasted until France star Kylian Mbappé scored twice in Saturday’s third-place game to reach 22 World Cup goals, according to ESPN.

Messi also became the first player to start three World Cup finals. His international total stands at 125 goals, second to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 146, ESPN reported.

Spain’s winner came through Torres, with Lamine Yamal racing to embrace him after the goal. ESPN noted that Yamal was less than a week past his 19th birthday.

The win also gave Spain a rare double at national-team level. ESPN reported that Spain became the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time.

For Messi, the night ended far from the fairy-tale repeat many in the stadium wanted. For Spain, it ended with gold confetti, a second men’s World Cup trophy and a final performance that Messi himself said was better.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.