Buenos Aires, Jul 21 (V7N) – Argentina captain Lionel Messi has described his team's FIFA World Cup final defeat to Spain as a painful setback, saying the disappointment will take time to overcome while expressing pride in his teammates' achievements.
Argentina's hopes of winning a second consecutive World Cup title came to an end after losing to Spain in the final. Following the match, an emotional Messi was seen on the field before later sharing a heartfelt message on Instagram on Monday (July 20).
"The failure is very deep. This wound will take time to heal," Messi wrote.
Despite the disappointment, the Argentine captain said he would cherish the positive memories from the tournament.
"I want to keep the good memories. Those moments in the matches where we gave our best will remain in our memories forever. The support of the entire country and the hard work and sacrifice of this team have brought us back to the ranks of the best teams in the world," he said.
Messi also highlighted Argentina's remarkable consistency on football's biggest stage, noting that the team had reached the finals of two consecutive FIFA World Cups.
"Today it may be difficult to evaluate our achievements. But this team has reached the final of two consecutive World Cups," he added.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner thanked Argentine supporters for standing behind the team throughout the tournament.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message. Once again, we have been able to unite as a country and share the immense pride of being Argentines," he wrote.
Messi concluded his message by congratulating Spain on winning the World Cup, saying, "Congratulations to Spain for becoming champions."
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