Will Lionel Messi retire? Argentina coach breaks silence after final defeat at FIFA World Cup 2026 | Football News

NEW DELHI: Will Lionel Messi retire? Will the FIFA World Cup 2026 final be his last appearance on football’s biggest stage? Those questions dominated the discussions as Argentina took on Spain in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium. Argentina’s title defense ended in a 1-0 extra-time defeat, but head coach Lionel Scaloni made it clear that Messi’s future is his own decision. After the final, Scaloni praised the 39-year-old captain and said Messi will continue to play as long as he wants.“Well, he is 39 years old now. It is unbelievable. There is nothing new to discover from my side. It is very clear to me that he will play until he decides to do it, and that all the players of the team, teammates, and all his people will support him. And I’m sure I hope that everyone feels proud of him, of what he achieved, because he’s the best football player ever,” said Scaloni as quoted by The Athletic.Scaloni’s comments came after Argentina failed in their bid to defend the World Cup title they won in Qatar in 2022.

Spain ended the reign of Argentina

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to claim their second FIFA World Cup title and their first since 2010.Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game in the 106th minute, beating Emiliano Martinez with a powerful finish after a move involving Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro and Nico Williams.The victory completed a remarkable campaign for Spain, who were unbeaten throughout the tournament and only scored one goal in eight matches.

Torres and Yamal shine for Spain

Torres also made history by becoming only the fifth substitute to score in a FIFA World Cup final and the first since Germany’s Mario Götze scored the winner against Argentina in the 2014 final.He also became the second Barcelona player to score in a World Cup final after Andres Iniesta’s extra-time winner for Spain in 2010.19-year-old Lamine Yamal lifted the World Cup in the biggest moment of his young career, just two years after helping Spain win UEFA Euro 2024.

Complete team effort in Spain

Spain’s title-winning campaign was built on strong performances across the team.Rodri controlled the midfield throughout the tournament, Mikel Oyarzabal finished with five goals to finish among the top scorers, while goalkeeper Unai Simon won the Golden Glove after a string of impressive performances.Spain began their campaign with a goalless draw against Cape Verde before beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 and Uruguay 1-0 to top Group H.They then defeated Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32, defeated Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16, defeated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals and defeated France 2-0 in the semi-finals.In the final, Spain dominated possession, created more chances than Argentina and beat the defending champions to seal another World Cup crown.