Slavko Vinčić blew the final whistle. Spain were champions. *La Roja* defeated Argentina 1–0 in the 2026 World Cup final, thanks to a goal in extra time by Ferran Torres. Lionel Messi, the tournament’s biggest star, shook hands with a couple of Spanish players and then remained alone, in silence, sitting in the middle of the pitch.
After a while, the number 10 took off his boots and socks, quietly grappling with the pain. At first, he didn’t cry. He appeared composed but bitter about the end of an era that could have had a glorious finish.
Despite not having a great game, Leo ended up being the greatest source of hope for an Argentina side that took over 115 minutes to create a clear-cut scoring chance.
He drifted to the right, and whenever Argentina had possession, he sent several crosses into the box. The clearest opportunity—falling to Giuliano Simeone—came from a corner kick that Messi played short, hoping a teammate would redirect it.
The number 10 also missed out on the Player of the Tournament award, which went to Rodri, and the Top Scorer award, claimed by Kylian Mbappé. When the Spanish midfielder received his trophy, the crowd began chanting “Messi! Messi!”
When it came time to receive the runner-up medal, he led the Argentine team and accepted the honor from U.S. President Donald Trump.
But as he walked past the World Cup trophy and stepped down from the podium, Leo—with the “Messi! Messi!” chants still echoing in the background—broke down in tears. He had held it together until that moment.
