New Delhi: Will Lionel Messi retire? Will the 2026 FIFA World Cup final be his last appearance on football’s biggest stage? These issues were at the forefront of discussions when Argentina faced Spain in the final at the New York-New Jersey Stadium. Argentina lost 0-1 in overtime and ultimately successfully defended their title, but head coach Scaloni made it clear that Messi’s future is entirely up to him. After the final, Scaloni praised the 39-year-old captain and said that Messi will continue to play as long as he wants.“Well, he’s 39 years old now. It’s unbelievable. From my point of view, there’s nothing new. It’s clear to me that he’s going to continue to play until he decides to do that and that all the players, teammates and everybody will support him. I definitely want everyone to be proud of him and what he has achieved because he is the best footballer ever. “Scaroni said.Scaloni’s comments come after Argentina failed to defend their 2022 World Cup title in Qatar.
Spanish and Argentinian rule
After overtime, Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 and won the World Cup trophy for the second time. This was also their first World Cup trophy since 2010.Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game in the 106th minute, beating Emiliano Martinez with a powerful shot from Lamine Yamar, Pedro Polo and Nico Williams.The victory completed a remarkable campaign for Spain, which has seen them remain unbeaten throughout the tournament and have conceded just one goal in eight games.
Torres and Yamal shine for Spain
Torres also made history by becoming the fifth player to score as a substitute in a FIFA World Cup final and the first since German player Mario Götze scored the winning goal in the 2014 final.He also became the second Barcelona player to score in a World Cup final after Andres Iniesta scored the overtime winner for Spain in 2010.Lamine Yamal, 19, lifted the World Cup trophy in the biggest moment of his young career, just two years after helping Spain win Euro 2024.
The Spanish team fully cooperates
The Spanish team’s championship was based on the outstanding performance of the entire team.Rodri dominated the midfield throughout the game, Mikel Oyarzabal finished among the top scorers with five goals, while goalkeeper Unai Simon won the Golden Glove after a series of impressive performances.The Spanish team had a goalless draw with Cape Verde in the first round, then defeated Saudi Arabia 4-0 and Uruguay 1-0 to advance to the top of the group.They then defeated Austria 3-0 in the round of 32, Portugal 1-0 in the round of 16, Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals, and France 2-0 in the semi-finals.In the final, Spain dominated possession and created far more chances than Argentina, eventually defeating the defending champion and winning the World Cup again.
