Spain Defeats Argentina in World Cup Final; Messi Emotional

New York. Argentine captain Lionel Messi became emotional on the field after being defeated by Spain in the World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium on Monday.

Messi, 39, could not hold back his tears after no magic worked to bring the team to victory.

Spain defeated Argentina, which was aiming to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win two consecutive men's World Cups. Ferran Torres scored 37 seconds into the second half of extra time, giving Spain a 1-0 victory and their second World Cup title.

The large crowd of 80,683 spectators at the stadium wanted to see Messi become the world champion for the second time. But after the game ended, Messi stood on the field in disappointment. While Argentine supporters continued to cheer the team, Spanish players lifted the trophy on the podium.

After the loss, Messi said, 'I am sad, but I am aware that we played with full effort. Honestly, they were better than us. We lost the game and we accept it. This does not mean we will forget the achievements we have made so far, so I want to thank my people, the players, and the country.'

Spain dominated the final. Spain attempted 20 shots on goal, while Argentina could only manage two attempts. Spain played 845 passes, while Argentina played only 433 passes.

Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente said his first strategy was to control Messi. Messi only got to touch the ball 54 times throughout the game and did not get any good chances to score.

Three years ago, when he left European football to play in the American League, many predicted Messi's career was nearing its end. But he led Argentina to the final again with eight goals and four assists. In this World Cup, Messi set a record for being the first player to play in the starting eleven in three World Cup finals and increased his international goal tally to 125.

Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni praised Messi, saying, 'I hope everyone will be proud of him and his achievements, because he is the best footballer to ever step on the field.'

After the game ended, Spanish players hugged Messi and consoled him. As he went to the podium to receive the runner-up medal, the Spanish players gave him a 'guard of honor' as a sign of respect. Spain has now become the first country in the world to win both the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously.