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“Are you hurting? I am hurting too.” Messi breaks silence after World Cup final loss
🇰🇷 South Korea /Sports

“Are you hurting? I am hurting too.” Messi breaks silence after World Cup final loss

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Lionel Messi expressed his sorrow on social media following Argentina's 0-1 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, failing to secure a second consecutive title.
  • Despite a strong tournament performance with 8 goals and 4 assists, Messi remained scoreless in the final match.
  • Messi congratulated Spain on their victory and reflected on Argentina's achievement of reaching two consecutive World Cup finals, without mentioning his potential retirement from international football.

Lionel Messi, the celebrated Argentine footballer, broke his silence on social media after his team’s defeat in the 2026 World Cup final. The loss to Spain, with a score of 0-1, dashed Argentina's hopes of a second consecutive championship.

The pain is too great. It will take a long time for the wounds to heal.

— Lionel MessiMessi described his emotional state after Argentina's World Cup final loss.

Messi, 39, shared his profound disappointment, stating, “The pain is too great. It will take a long time for the wounds to heal.” He acknowledged his team's all-out effort in the final, despite the outcome. He highlighted positive memories from the tournament, including matches where they fought back to change the result. Messi recognized the difficulty of fully assessing their achievements at this moment but emphasized their accomplishment of reaching two World Cup finals in a row.

I will cherish the good memories, including the games where we turned the game around giving everything.

— Lionel MessiMessi reflected on positive moments from the tournament despite the final defeat.

Despite his personal disappointment, Messi extended congratulations to the Spanish team for their victory. He did not, however, address speculation about his future retirement from the national team in his statement. The article notes Messi's significant contribution throughout the tournament, where he recorded 8 goals and 4 assists, though his scoring touch deserted him in the crucial final match. His reflections offer a glimpse into the emotional toll of such a significant sporting event, balancing personal regret with team pride and sportsmanship.

It may be difficult to properly evaluate what we have achieved now, but we are a team that has reached two consecutive World Cup finals.

— Lionel MessiMessi acknowledged Argentina's achievement of reaching two consecutive World Cup finals.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.