Following Argentina’s narrow 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, which may mark Lionel Messi’s last World Cup appearance, Argentine media expressed admiration for the team’s performance while acknowledging Spain’s superior play.
The cover of Clarín, the country’s leading newspaper, showcased a poignant image of a tearful Messi with the caption: “They gave it their all: [there is] nothing to blame them for.” In its editorial, Clarín noted that “beyond the final result, and setting aside the strictly sporting aspects, there was, as never before, a special bond between the people and their national team”
La Nación mirrored this sentiment with a headline proclaiming: “Argentina gave their all, and they are the pride of the nation.” Página|12’s front page read “against a Spanish side that controlled the entire final but only managed to score in the second half of extra time” highlighting that Scaloni’s squad faced a dominant Spanish team that only found the net in the second half of extra time. It remarked: “Once the disappointment has faded, what will remain is the immense significance of a team which, with Lionel Messi as its leader and icon, has etched its name in capital letters into the history of world football.” Olé, the sports newspaper, shared a similar message with the phrase “the laurels that we knew how to win” referencing the accolades celebrated in the national anthem.
In a heartfelt press conference after the match, Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, was visibly emotional as he confronted his uncertain future. “If they give everything the way they did today, it sets a great example for the people and for our country,” he remarked. “You have to pick yourself up again. When you leave everything like that, it’s very hard to find fault with anything.”
Former Argentina international Marcelo Gallardo commented on ESPN that Scaloni spoke “with great dignity, with great pride and with a presence that is also deeply emotional and human – which is what comes across in these words when everything is crashing down on you and when you’re losing everything”
Gallardo further reflected on the emotional impact of the semi-final against England just days before, emphasizing that Argentina had not encountered a team like Spain previously. “Argentina hadn’t faced a team like Spain before – a team that steals the ball from you and you can’t get it back. They didn’t let us recover or play.” he explained.
Alejandro Wall echoed these sentiments in a column for Tiempo Argentino titled “Spain proved too much for this great journey” He characterized Luis de la Fuente’s Spanish team as “a whirlwind of football and determination that dominated Argentina at will” Wall highlighted Spain’s control of possession, ability to create chances, and setting the match’s tempo, while Argentina appeared focused primarily on defense. “They had possession, the chances, the tempo of the match; they were in complete control. The Argentinian side simply set about holding out, nothing more. Looking at the match statistics, they seemed to be made up of an inert body.” he noted. Nevertheless, he remarked that the team’s overall campaign was commendable – they reached the final and left the pitch facing their fans, looking straight at the stands, in tears, paying tribute to their supporters.
Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, stated: “overall campaign was beyond reproach – they reached the final and left the pitch facing their fans, looking straight at the stands, in tears, paying tribute to their supporters” he said during an interview with Radio Mitre. “Even though the result isn’t what we would have liked, we need to recognise the historic significance of this group of players’ enormous achievement: in the last four World Cups, they’ve reached three finals and won one,”
The Argentinian Football Association confirmed that some members of the squad would be returning to Argentina on Monday, although specific plans for celebrations were not disclosed.
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