Lionel Messi sends emotional message to Argentina fans after World Cup final heartbreak

Lionel Messi has sent an emotional message to Argentina supporters following the World Cup final defeat to Spain.

Messi’s hopes of leading Argentina back-to-back titles ended with a painful 1-0 defeat to reigning European champions Spain in the final.

Argentina put in a historically disappointing performance with Lionel Scaloni’s troops unable to find their groove against a dominant Spanish side.

They only managed two shots throughout the entire contest, and their first effort on target didn’t come until the 117th minute after Ferran Torres’ winning goal.

Argentina were outplayed by Spain, who were ultimately rewarded for their bravery and relentless attacking intent.

Tempers flared after the match as several Argentina players reacted angrily to the defeat. 

Midfielder Leandro Paredes was among those involved in heated scenes, and authorities are now investigating the team’s behaviour following the game. 

After the defeat, Messi addressed supporters and admitted that the loss devastated him.

“The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,” he said (Daily Mail). “But I also hold onto all the good things. 

“The matches we turned around by giving it our all – moments that will remain in our memories forever – and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group’s hard work and effort, brought us back among the world’s elite once again.

“It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message.”

Messi was Argentina’s talisman throughout the tournament, notching eight goals and four assists.

It is unclear if he has played his last game for Argentina, but Sunday’s final will undoubtedly be his final World Cup appearance.