Following the tough-to-watch 2026 FIFA World Cup finale on July 19, soccer legend Lionel Messi broke his silence online.
Spain won the intense match 1-0, which went into overtime, as anxiety for both teams went into overdrive.
The 39-year-old athlete was seen crying and seemed heartbroken out on the pitch once the game concluded.
The day after the match, Lionel shared an emotional caption on social media, which was accompanied by a shot of the player looking disheartened.
© Getty ImagesThe star vulnerably opened up, revealing: "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."
Lionel felt immensely grateful for the significant amount of global support he and his teammates got during the five-week-long competition.
© Getty ImagesHe added: "It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and stand together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine."
Lionel concluded: "I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship."
© Getty ImagesFans react
Fans flocked to the comments to cheer on the Argentinian caption.
One person wrote: "Hold your head up high. Getting into another World Cup final was amazing. It wasn't meant to be this time, but Argentina showed fight and determination throughout this tournament. You gave it your all, so thank you Leo."
A second fan added: "Thank you Leo thanks for [bringing] so [much] joy for many people…We were lucky to live in an era that has Leo Messi."
A third commenter continued: "Thank you, Leo. Thank you for making millions of Argentinians dream together again. For delivering as always. And for taking us, once again, to the end. You are eternal."
© Getty ImagesLionel's next era
What makes the loss more difficult for the soccer legend, is the fact that there is mass speculation that we may have witnessed Lionel's last participation at a World Cup.
Prior to the finale, the star wrote online: "What a journey we're on together Adidas, with 'The Last Tango' [sneakers]. Let's go for the final – let's go Argentina!!!"
He has not made an official statement regarding retirement yet.
