Even with his magical performance through which he pulled Argentina at of the deeps in virtually all their encounters, Lionel Messi, appeared inconsolable with his inability to create the most enduring piece of history he apparently desired – winning the World Cup – back-to-back.
For this, he went to the podium soaked in his own tears to receive his medal as the defending champions fell to Spain in the just ended football tournament, which ended this Sunday, at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, the United States.
Failing to reach the first back-to-back men’s World Cup winner since Brazil in 1962, no thanks to Ferran Torres, who scored 37 seconds into the second extra-time period, to seal the spectacular performance of the La Furia Roja (The Red Fury) with a 1-0 victory and handed them their second World Cup title, the Argentine prodigy, was all full of praises for the champions. 
Fighting back tears, the 39-year-old Argentine captain said of the La Furia Roja who posted a 20-1 advantage in shots, and 845-433, showing total dominance: “I feel sad, but I am aware that we played our hearts out.
“They were better, to be honest. We lost the game, and we accept that. That doesn’t mean that we will forget everything we’ve done so far, so I’d like to thank my people, my players and the country.”
Even with a year short of 40, by which time virtually all footballers would have retired from the game, Messi’s performance in the three-nation, 2026 World Cup, leaves many believing that he could even show up at the next edition in 2030 to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. opening matches holding in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, mark the centenary of the tournament.
