Lionel Messi stood surrounded by fans at MetLife Stadium, with billions watching worldwide, yet he seemed alone. When the final whistle of the World Cup blew, the Spain dugout celebrated on the pitch. Messi, however, stayed by himself, a figure of defeat akin to an Argentine Achilles.
Throughout the game, Messi found no space. The moment the game finished, cameras captured his vacant stare. As the noise reverberated around MetLife, Messi’s World Cup journey, barring a miracle, appeared to end. Looking into the distance, he removed his specially designed Adidas boots, named the Last Tango.
Since the knockout stages, each step Argentina took felt like it could be the last. The threat of separation from the World Cup loomed as Argentina navigated tight matches, including a stunning equalizer by Sidny Cabral for Cape Verde and a tense game against Egypt. For six weeks, Argentina danced a delicate dance of survival and near exits.
At venues like Kansas City, Miami, Atlanta, and New York, the sense of Messi’s imminent absence was palpable. The melancholy of his presence echoed in the sad tunes reminiscent of Carlos Gardel.
Ferran Torres, the player Messi had aspirations to become, was the first to reach him at full time. Messi’s teammates, embroiled in a brawl fueled by Leandro Paredes, added to the already tense atmosphere. Argentina’s performance lacked the edge needed to go head-to-head with Spain, as coach Scaloni expressed. During the first 15 minutes, Messi touched the ball once, and the Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon had little to do.
Amid the chants of “ME-SSI!”, Messi led Argentina to collect runners-up medals from then-U.S. President Donald Trump. Lost and contemplating his next steps, Messi, a 39-year-old captain, faced his fans, turned away from Spain’s victory. A fluttering banner, adorned with imagery of both Messi and Diego Maradona, told tales of shared triumphs and challenges.
Throughout the match, echoes of the 1990 World Cup. Argentina, then champions, followed a similar fate against West Germany, holding out for extra time before conceding a late penalty. The 2026 final felt the same. After Torres scored, Messi lay on his back, hands over his head, sensing no comeback was in sight.
As Messi’s World Cup journey concluded, comparisons with Maradona were inevitable. Though Messi exited with grace, memories of Maradona’s dramatic departure after testing positive for banned substances lingered. Messi expressed gratitude, longing for a different outcome.
In a social media post before the final, Messi reflected on the journey, regardless of the outcome. Argentina’s victories in Copa America in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022 marked significant milestones. Even amid personal accolades, including multiple all-time records, Messi acknowledged the end of a journey already fulfilled.
The absence of Messi will be felt in future World Cups. Despite potential FIFA expansions and changes, a World Cup without Messi seems incomplete.