World Cup: Messi thanks Argentina fans but ‘wound will take time to heal’

Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final held on Sunday, July 20, 2026, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Lionel Messi was seen in tears on the field after the defeat, which may have been his final World Cup appearance. In an Instagram post on Monday, Messi congratulated Spain and acknowledged the pain of the loss, saying 'the wound will take time to heal.'