Lionel Messi breaks silence on Argentina losing World Cup final amid retirement speculation

Lionel Messi broke his silence theme after the Argentina defeat in the World Cup final, addressing the 1-0 loss to Spain in New Jersey after extra time. Messi’s first response came after Ferran Torres scored the only goal for Spain at 106 minutes, with Argentina showing no shots on target until Spain broke through. Argentina’s captain described how his team was largely limited due to a defense-first plan, and how they only began to influence the match when they pushed forward. Messi also referenced protests to the referee involving Marc Cucurella, after a hand-over-mouth gesture during the second half. The letter came as speculation about retirement followed the tournament, and it noted Messi’s final World Cup match in New Jersey, where his adidas boots read “The Last Tango.”