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

Lionel Messi has said 'the pain is immense' and that it 'will take time to heal' after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final.

Ferran Torres' extra-time strike secured Spain's second world title, ending Argentina's defence of the championship they won in 2022.

At 39, Messi has now lost two World Cup finals – the previous one was a 1-0 defeat to Germany in 2014. He is unlikely to play in the 2030 tournament, though he has not yet clarified his international future.

In a social media post, Messi wrote: 'The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal. But I also hold onto all the good things. 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.'

He added that it is hard to fully appreciate their achievement now, but the team reached two consecutive World Cup finals. He thanked fans for their support and congratulated Spain on their victory.

Messi contributed eight goals and four assists as Argentina reached the final for the third time in the past four World Cups. He played a key role in comeback wins against Egypt and England in the knockout stages, but could not overcome a Spain side that conceded just one goal throughout the entire tournament.