Messi says 'pain is immense' after losing World Cup final

Lionel Messi described his pain as "immense" and stated it "will take time to heal" following Argentina's defeat in the World Cup final. Spain secured their second world championship title with a 1-0 victory in extra time, ending Argentina's defense of the title they won in 2022.

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The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal. But I also hold onto all the good things.

This loss marks Messi's second World Cup final defeat, having previously lost to Germany in 2014. At 39 years old, his participation in the 2030 tournament remains uncertain as he has not clarified his international future.

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The matches we turned around by giving it our all - moments that will remain in our memories forever - and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group's hard work and effort, brought us back among the world's elite once again.

Despite the heartbreak, Messi shared his reflections on social media, highlighting the positive moments and the team's collective effort. He expressed gratitude for the support received from the entire country, emphasizing how their combined hard work brought them back to the elite level of international football. He also congratulated Spain on their championship win.

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It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals.

Messi was a key contributor to Argentina's campaign, scoring eight goals and providing four assists. He played a crucial role in their knockout stage victories against Egypt and England, but ultimately could not overcome a Spanish team that maintained a strong defense throughout the tournament, conceding only one goal.

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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and stand together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine.