In the end, Lionel Messi broke down in tears at the final moment of a 'last dance' he could never have imagined.

*This content was translated by AI.

Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) finally burst into tears. The match, which failed to secure even a back-to-back World Cup title and left Messi powerless throughout the final, marked the final moment of his "World Cup last dance," something he himself could never have imagined.

On the 20th (Korean time), after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup final at New Jersey Stadium in New York, USA, Messi could no longer hold back his tears.

That day, Argentina failed to overcome an early goal conceded by Ferran Torres (Barcelona) in the second half of extra time and lost 0-1, missing out on the championship.

Immediately after conceding the first goal, Messi struggled to hide his disappointment. After the final whistle signaled the team's defeat and failure to win the title, he collapsed to the ground, burying his head in sorrow.

Messi appeared to have composed himself emotionally, but during the post-final ceremony, after receiving the runner-up medal, he was overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears once again. It was nothing short of sobbing.

For Messi, born in 1987, this tournament was effectively his "World Cup last dance," making the final result even more heartbreaking.

Moreover, Messi scored an impressive eight goals (with four assists) during this tournament alone and recorded attacking contributions in seven consecutive matches from the opening game through to the semi-finals, leading Argentina to the final.

However, for Messi, Argentina's performance in this final — his last World Cup stage — was nothing short of powerless.

That day, Argentina surrendered control from the start and focused solely on defense, failing to register a single shot throughout both halves of 90 minutes. This marks the first humiliating occurrence in World Cup final history.

Even during extra time, Argentina could not turn the tide. They only began to shift their focus to offense after conceding an early goal in the second half of extra time. However, with Enzo Fernández (Chelsea) sent off late in the match, leaving them at a numerical disadvantage, it was too little too late to expect a turnaround.

Ultimately, Argentina managed just two shots over 120 minutes of extra time, recording their first shot only after 117 minutes. They lost 0-1 to Spain and were eliminated. While the fact that the match went into extra time and the 0-1 scoreline might suggest a close contest, Argentina was clearly outmatched, managing only two shots compared to Spain's twenty — a truly poor performance.

Even Messi, who had hoped to conclude his "World Cup last dance" in spectacular fashion, could not do anything meaningful before the final match ended. The disappointment was overwhelming. In the end, after shedding tears on the field, he quickly left the stadium before Spain's trophy celebration began.

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*This content was translated by AI.