2026 FIFA World Cup: FINAL - Argentina vs. Spain

I was really quiet for days after the 90 final. Will probably be so for the next few days.

Also, in a really weird kind of way, this World Cup has shown the people who really love me and want my happiness, and those who don’t.

A lot of my in-laws and cousins were rooting against Argentina and siding with every team we were playing against, not because they care at all about futbol, but because they wished I would not get any happiness.

A lot of it was just pure jealousy of Messi too.

 

I was pretty young. I just remember feeling robbed by the 90 final. This wasn't a robbery at least, just not a great game management wise.

 

Not sure how accurate this is but the team will be flying back to BsAs and it seems like several players won't be on the plane. Some of the players are gonna head back to their club teams. Two of the players not returning will be Messi and De Paul...

🚨🇦🇷🇺🇸 | TRISTEZA INFINITA: Messi y De Paul, que viven en Estados Unidos, se quedarán allí y levantan sospechas sobre un posible retiro definitivo de la Selección por parte del 10.

Además, varios jugadores tampoco regresarán a la Argentina y viajarán directamente hacia los… pic.twitter.com/bt4AFwNDVB

— La Derecha Diario (@laderechadiario) July 20, 2026

I don't know, if the fans rooted for you through thick and thin, at least show up and greet them...

 

I'm glad at least my family has always been rooting for Argentina aswell (wife, father , younger brother & some of my cousins).

Oddly enough most of my close friends never care much of international football, mostly just care about club football so they dont seems to be emotionally attached when watching the WC. I kinda wish I could enjoy the WC that way lol.

 

Ironically, Cholo did much better againts possesion based team than Scaloni. The likes of Alvarez, Molina, Giu etc were able to beat these Spanish players.








In fact, the last 3 meets in CL between Barca & Cholo has been won by Cholo. Its all comes down to tactic. Even Lautaro's Inter beat the recent Barca team.

 

The only Argentina matches I would enjot at this world cup were the group stage games, which were stress free and fun. After that every single game was torture, my nerves were shredded, for the England game I actually felt physically sick, a lot of the times I could on ly watch parts of the game because my nerves were gone, I'd keep up with what was happening via this forum or LiveScore. I don't even want to think about footbal for a while now, even though I obviously will! The 4th star would have been beautiful, but let's be honest, after the debacle that was the 2018 world cup if someone had said by 2026 Argentina would win 2 Copa America, 1 Finalissima and 1 woul cup I think we would have happily taken that Dissapointing aspect of the game was that, just like Portugal and France, we never laid a glove on Spain, our only plan was to see if we could take it to pens. Spain deserved to win and deserved to be world champions, I've got no issues on that front, just wish we gone with a different formation. Nico G is not good enough to be a starter, personally I don't think he is good enough to be in the squad, but I guess you could say he can on the odd ocassion offer something coming on as sub. What was the point of taking Lo Celso other than Scaloni felt bad about him missing out in 2022 through injury, if you picked him then use him, he could have played yesterday instead of De Paul. Scaloni obviously, understndably after what they have achieved, has an incredible bond with the core of this squad, Messi, Otamendi, De Paul, Paredes, Dibu, Molina, Montiel, Taglafiaco, Nico G, unfortunaetly that also made him very relucant, if not downright obstinate, in not giving the younger players a chance. I don't Scaloni will go on as manager of the NT because his bind was with those players and I think he'll find it difficult to bond in the same way with a new generation. Time will tell. My final point is that you will now see a whole bunch of players retiring from the NT at the same time so the next few years are going to be a period of change. Oh, and that you Leo, there are not enough words to express the gratitude for what you have done for the NT, under 20 world cup, Olympic Gold, Copa, Finalissima, World Cup, thank you for everything.

 

Let me explain: this is all Tapia vs Milei feud. Milei said there will be a public holiday "if the players want to come and celebrate". Tapia sees that and obviously his first thought is to avoid flying the team back home just so there isn't a holiday and Milei ends up "looking bad".

 

Milei doesn't need any help in looking bad.

 

And for those who lurking here to see the agony among Argentinians fans , Yes you , the penaldo fans [ The country against which we dont hold any grudge but still hating us because we have GOAT]

1: Yes , say with me again , Messi is the GOAT and penaldo cant even deserved to be compared with same line with messi again
2: We aer back to back copa champion's and back to back finalists of fifa WC and wont 2022 edition
3: From 2014 , we reached 7 finals , and won 3 of them

 

But don't forget, back in 2006 Penaldo reached semi final of the world cup Also he finally scored a goal in the knockout stage of the world cup in 2026

 

I echo your feelings man. I'm the same way. I have to take a break from the national team. They bring too much trauma. I havent enjoyed one single match in the KO stages. I had to protect myself mentally from the roller coaster. I blame Scaloni for not using his squad and only relying on the old players. He was warned in every KO stage but didnt do anything about it.

 

I'd bet many people hate your team because it is composed of psychopats, thugs and racist pieces of excrement. This said, Messi is indeed the GOAT. But who the ******** cares if you can't win or lose with grace.

 

In a way that's quite a damning indictment of how negative Scaloni was.

He was too scared to insert Barco instead of Nico G. Porro is a very poor defender. I can see the plan.

Nico + Tags to contain Yamal. Montiel + RDP to contain Cucurella.

Get Licha free with his passing to get Nico to attack Porro but Nico was poor. Barco is much better already.

I would have started a a 3-5-2 with Julian dropping into midfield when needed and both WBs pinching in when needed. Scaloni really messed up. Spain are not all that. They only created any high meaningful chances when Enzo was sent off.

 

Yeah, we need to look after our mental health mate, this teams can destroy you, even when winning. If anything Qatar was worse because we lost the first game. Scaloni stuck with the old guard because they kepy finding ways to win, but as a coach you should analysis things with a cool head and realised we kept getting away with it and you can't do that against this Spain team. But I think he was gonna go out with the old guard come what may. Now the next manager is going to have to start a new cycle.

 

When you play minutes in a compressed tournament the fatigue will get you. Especially in the heat. And with one day of less rest. But Scaloni still refused to play Palacios at the base of midfield or Barco out wide.

Completely fresh players. Even refused to bring on Lopez when we needed a goal but Senesi. Lopez is superb aerially. Oh well. For all the success he has had Scaloni needs to take a long hard look in the mirror.

Spain are not England in that they will gift the ball away under no pressure and we needed some midfield legs but he didn't do it. Even maybe down to ten taking off Leo for Lautaro so we were defending with eight not nine. No offence Leo.

 

Spot on. Play our game and attack their weaknesses. And they do have them. But if you don't go for them then they never get exposed.

To not get Messi into the game is criminal. To have a striker of Julian's ability not have one effort on goal is criminal.

 

As soon as went a man down I would have taken him off and brought on Lautaro. But the morale effect ? They look to him as the leader.

Barco a fresh Palacios would make a difference. These guys have barely played. Barco v Porro instead of Nico G v Porro I know who my money is on. We had a days less rest too (this is something FIFA has to have a look at semi-finals should now be on the same day) and some fresh players with lots more energy would have helped.

 

Most dissapointing thing for me was watching Spain v Portugal and thinking Portugal were just waiting to lose, literally did nothing all game waiting to be put out of their misery, and we go and do exactly the same thing. Guess it's best move on, we can't change what happened, just look to the future.

 

I think it's time Nico G leaves the squad. A few years ago when he was in Germany I was forgive the colloquialism I was bigging him up. He had flair tricks an eye for goal. All of that has disappeared into a pretty functional methodical outside forward whose abilities have not improved but declined.

Barco is the obvious replacement and Soule on the right. Both are inventive and creative which is what you need against a rigid system. Hell someone like Aranda today dribbling away could have caused Spain many problems. No one likes being run at.

And imagine di Maria instead of Nico G. Yes that would have solved a lot of issues. For one di Maria wouldn't give the ball away cheaply.

 

It is this. If you are negative against a possession team and just sit back you don't pressure them adequately and knock them off their stride at some point they will make the key pass and score.

You have to balance your pressing and defence with a system to create some pressure of your own and lift the pressure off your own defence for a while.

Scaloni went all out in the wrong direction.

 

How we missed ADM, Messi had to become ADM in Egypt and England games.

 

I think apart from Molina Rdp and Nico the rest of the players did what they could and gave everything. But it was clear some were running on empty like Enzo and Alexis in the second half.

We have a days less rest something FIFA needs a serious look at given how many sides have won with an extra days rest (which is a big advantage in a short compressed tournament) and he Scaloni still refuses to use the bench so to speak. That is poor management.

Far too much reliance on the core. As I said before if he was unsure about some players he should have used the WCQs and friendlies (which were pathetic arrangements from the mafioso who also needs to be removed and investigated with his buddies) better.

 

Things can change, Maybe not a formal role but in and around the team at a senior level as a talking head.

And seminars chats with the u17 and u20. The man has immense knowledge of the game and experience and is the model professional in his diet, his training and how he conducts himself. Valuable for any of the kids coming through say like Cabral who is having all sorts of interests tugging him this way and that already.

With his understanding of the game I think he would make a fine coach. I hope he does. His team of financial experts can take charge of his investments wherever they are.

 

Atletico Madrid beat Barca this season in both CL and Copa del rey. Barca might have 60-70% but Atletico was able to hit multiple goals. They had 2-0 and 4--0 victories with Alvarez scoring . Possession football is never the be all ,end all of everything. As soon as I saw the starting 11 , Mac, Enzo, RDP and Nico G, I knew we'd be on the backfoot. Two incredibly tired players and two mindless runners without creativity, we're setting up the podium for Spain.

 

Problem is what sort of effect that has on the others. They see Leo as the ultimate captain and leader. But logically if I was there I would have brought on Lautaro and taken him off.