Leo Messi’s post-match interview after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain, where he reportedly blamed the referee and his coach’s tactics while also announcing his retirement from international football.
Reporter 🎤: “What went wrong for you guys yesterday? Were Spain simply the better team?”
Leo Messi 🗣️: “I wouldn’t say Spain were better than us because our loss was down to the poor officiating by the referee, and also our tactics were not right. The referee gave too many fouls, and the red card given to Enzo wasn’t even a red card. That incident completely disrupted our game.
“It was also down to our coach’s tactics. I mean, this is the World Cup final—why ask us to play defensively when we all know how good Spain are with the ball? We could have gone toe-to-toe with them just like we did against every other nation we faced in this tournament. It’s just so sad.”
Reporter 🎤: “So, Leo, would this be your last game for Argentina, or do we still have a few more years to watch you?”
Leo Messi 🗣️: “Yes, it will be my last game. I’ve done my best for Argentina. It’s just so sad that I didn’t get my happy ending because of the coach’s tactics. I just wish the game could be replayed again.”