Argentina Hit Unwanted World Cup Record As AFA Chief Hails Messi

Argentina Football Association (AFA) President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia has praised Lionel Messi and the national team despite their heartbreaking 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, insisting that the players gave their best throughout the tournament.

According to Ireporter Online, Spain secured their second World Cup trophy after substitute Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute at the New Jersey Stadium, ending Argentina’s reign as world champions and denying Messi the chance to successfully defend the title.

Following the defeat, Tapia took to social media platform X to appreciate the players, coaching staff and support team for their dedication and commitment during the competition.

He described the squad’s performance as a source of pride, praising their determination and the joy they brought to millions of Argentines.

“Standing tall, Argentina, with your head held high. Thank you for giving everything from start to finish, for representing an entire country with heart, and for allowing us to dream again,” Tapia stated.

The final defeat also saw Argentina match an unwanted World Cup record. According to football statistics, the South American giants have now finished as runners-up four times in the history of the tournament, equalling Germany’s record for the most final defeats.

Argentina previously lost World Cup finals in 1930, 1990 and 2014, while Germany suffered defeats in 1966, 1982, 1986 and 2002.

The loss also marked another difficult milestone for Lionel Scaloni’s side, as Argentina became the first team in World Cup history to fail to record a shot on target during the 90 minutes of a final.

Spain’s match-winner Ferran Torres also entered the record books after becoming only the second substitute to score the winning goal in a World Cup final, following Germany’s Mario Götze, who scored against Argentina in the 2014 final.

Meanwhile, Spain’s victory further extended their impressive unbeaten run under coach Luis de la Fuente. The European champions have now gone 38 matches without defeat across all competitions, recording 29 wins and nine draws.

The achievement surpassed Italy’s previous European record of 37 consecutive unbeaten matches between 2018 and 2021, giving Spain the longest unbeaten streak ever recorded by a European or South American men’s national team.