Lionel Messi’s dream of ending his FIFA World Cup journey with another winners’ medal came to a painful end after Argentina suffered a disappointing defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final courtesy of Ferran Torres goal in extra time.
While La Roja produced a dominant display to lift the trophy, the tournament also marked one of the finest individual World Cup campaigns of Messi’s illustrious career.
Despite the heartbreak in the final, football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic was among the first high-profile figures to salute the Argentine captain, insisting that the result should not overshadow what had been an extraordinary tournament from the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
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Speaking on FOX Sports’ World Cup Live, the former Sweden international praised Messi for carrying Argentina throughout the competition.
“We have enjoyed him during this World Cup,” Ibrahimovic said. “I know he’s sad he didn’t win the World Cup, but he had an amazing World Cup. He kept this team alive. He did some amazing stuff.”
Although Spain controlled the final from start to finish, leaving Argentina with very few attacking opportunities, Messi’s influence throughout the tournament remained undeniable.
The veteran forward finished the competition with eight goals and four assists, finding the back of the net in each of Argentina’s opening five matches before switching to a creative role in the knockout stages.
His vision and passing were instrumental in Argentina’s victories over Switzerland and England in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals respectively, where he registered three assists across the two matches, including two in the dramatic comeback against England.
Reflecting on Messi’s performances, Ibrahimovic described the Argentine as a player capable of producing moments beyond ordinary football.
“He had moments where he was human. He had moments where he wasn’t human.”
Messi also continued rewriting football history during the tournament. His eight goals took his overall World Cup tally to 21, allowing him to surpass the previous all-time scoring record during the group stage.
However, the record was short-lived after France captain Kylian Mbappe scored twice in the third-place play-off to move ahead of the Argentine.
The final itself was one to forget for Argentina’s attack. Spain’s disciplined defensive structure limited Lionel Scaloni’s men to just two shots throughout the match, with none testing the Spanish goalkeeper.
Messi managed only one attempt on goal and completed just one of his five crosses as La Roja comfortably neutralised Argentina’s attacking threats.
Despite the disappointing ending, Messi’s tournament has widely been regarded as one of the greatest individual World Cup performances of his career.
At 39 years old, he once again demonstrated his ability to dictate matches through his movement, creativity and leadership, proving decisive in Argentina’s run to another World Cup final.
Attention has now shifted to the future of the Argentine icon. His emotional reaction during the medal presentation sparked fresh speculation over whether the final was his last appearance for the national team on football’s biggest stage.
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Should he target another World Cup, Messi would be 43 years old by the time the next edition comes around, making another appearance a remarkable challenge.
Ibrahimovic, however, hopes football fans have not witnessed Messi’s final act in international football.
“I hope he can continue to play as much as possible, so we can enjoy him even more,” Ibrahimovic added. “Will we see him in another World Cup? I don’t know, you never know. But we’ve enjoyed him, and we’re happy that he plays the game because we’re going to be very sad when he stops playing.”
Regardless of the result in the final, Messi once again reminded the football world why he remains one of the greatest players to ever grace the game.
While Spain deservedly celebrated becoming world champions, the tournament will also be remembered for another masterclass from the Argentine legend, whose brilliance continued to captivate fans and earn the admiration of fellow football icons like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.