Distraught Lionel Messi bursts into tears as his World Cup career ends in heartbreak after brutal loss to Spain
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41'
Yellow card Lisandro MARTINEZ (Argentina) is booked by
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52'
Yellow card Leandro PAREDES (Argentina) is booked by
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82'
Yellow card Enzo FERNANDEZ (Argentina) is booked by
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90'+2'
Yellow card Cristian ROMERO (Argentina) is booked by
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90'+3'
Red card Enzo FERNANDEZ (Argentina) is booked for
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105'
Yellow card Lionel SCALONI (Argentina) is booked by
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106'
Goal Ferran TORRES (Spain) scores!!
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111'
Yellow card Alexis MAC ALLISTER (Argentina) is booked
Spain squad
- Selected
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8 Fabian RUIZ Midfielder
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10 Dani OLMO Forward
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12 Pedro PORRO Defender
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14 Aymeric LAPORTE Defender
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15 Alex BAENA Midfielder
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16 RODRI C Midfielder
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19 Lamine YAMAL Forward
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21 Mikel OYARZABAL Forward
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22 Pau CUBARSI Defender
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23 Unai SIMON Goalkeeper
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24 Marc CUCURELLA Defender
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1 David RAYA Goalkeeper
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2 Marc PUBILL Defender
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3 Alex GRIMALDO Defender
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4 Eric GARCIA Defender
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5 Marcos LLORENTE Defender
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6 Mikel MERINO Midfielder
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7 Ferran TORRES Forward
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9 GAVI Midfielder
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11 Yeremy PINO Forward
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13 Joan GARCIA Goalkeeper
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17 Nico WILLIAMS Forward
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18 Martin ZUBIMENDI Midfielder
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20 PEDRI Midfielder
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25 Victor MUNOZ Forward
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26 Borja IGLESIAS Forward
Argentina squad
- Selected
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3 Nicolas TAGLIAFICO Defender
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4 Gonzalo MONTIEL Defender
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6 Lisandro MARTINEZ Defender
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7 Rodrigo DE PAUL Midfielder
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9 Julian ALVAREZ Forward
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10 Lionel MESSI C Forward
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13 Cristian ROMERO Defender
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15 Nico GONZALEZ Midfielder
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20 Alexis MAC ALLISTER Midfielder
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23 Emiliano MARTINEZ Goalkeeper
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24 Enzo FERNANDEZ Midfielder
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1 Juan MUSSO Goalkeeper
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2 Marcos SENESI Defender
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5 Leandro PAREDES Midfielder
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8 Valentin BARCO Midfielder
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11 Giovani Lo Celso Midfielder
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12 Geronimo RULLI Goalkeeper
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14 Exequiel PALACIOS Midfielder
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16 Thiago ALMADA Forward
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17 Giuliano SIMEONE Forward
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18 Nico PAZ Forward
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19 Nicolas OTAMENDI Defender
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21 Jose Manuel LOPEZ Forward
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22 Lautaro MARTINEZ Forward
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25 Facundo MEDINA Defender
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26 Nahuel MOLINA Defender
Lionel Messi's World Cup career ended in tears after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the final, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in extra time to hand Luis de la Fuente's side the trophy. The result denied Messi a fairytale send-off in what is expected to be his last World Cup appearance, and the match ended in ugly scenes as players from both sides clashed at the full-time whistle.
The final was also overshadowed by controversy, including a disallowed Nico Williams goal for Spain that prompted sarcastic chants aimed at FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and criticism from pundits such as Wayne Rooney and Ian Wright over the pitch condition and an elaborate half-time show featuring Madonna and Justin Bieber. Rooney also criticised Messi for appearing to try to get Spain's Marc Cucurella sent off during the game, while Argentina were left to reflect on an unwanted tournament record following the defeat.
In short
- Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final via Ferran Torres's extra-time goal
- Messi's World Cup career ends in heartbreak, reduced to tears
- Full-time whistle sparked ugly clashes between players from both teams
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