Messi After Final Loss: 'The Pain Is Immense'

Argentine captain Lionel Messi has described the pain of losing the World Cup final to Spain as immense, saying it will take time to heal. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time thanks to a goal by Ferran Torres, securing their second world title.

At 39, Messi suffered his second World Cup final loss, the first being in 2014 against Germany. Argentina have reached the final in three of the last four tournaments.

"The pain is immense and it will take time for this wound to heal. But I will also remember all the good things," Messi wrote on social media. He highlighted the comebacks and the team's effort, adding: "The support of the entire country, together with the team's hard work and dedication, brought us back to the elite of world football. It's hard to assess what we achieved now, but we reached two consecutive World Cup finals." Messi also congratulated Spain on their victory.

During the tournament, Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists, helping Argentina beat Egypt and England in the knockout stages. However, they could not break down Spain's defense, which conceded only one goal throughout the tournament.

Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who was sent off in extra time for a second yellow card for a foul on Pau Cubarsi, also posted on social media: "This team has represented Argentina in the best possible way for years. It taught us that competing is not just about winning – it's about giving everything and never giving up."

The next World Cup is scheduled for 2023 in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal.