East Rutherford (United States) (AFP) – Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted Spain were the better team following his team's 1-0 extra-time defeat in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday.
Issued on: 20/07/2026 - 02:04
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Substitute Ferran Torres scored in the second period of extra-time as Spain finally broke down 10-man Argentina to win 1-0 at the MetLife Stadium.The South American champions, led by Lionel Messi, had been seeking to become the first team since 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups."They were the better side -- that's the truth -- but I'll cherish the memory of them (his team), of what they achieved, and of the value of making it this far," said Scaloni, who later broke down in tears at his post-game press conference."We have to place immense value on this because it takes so much effort."Scaloni, who had to break up an ugly skirmish after the final whistle that involved Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes, said his team must accept defeat with the same grace they had shown when celebrating recent successes. "We are gracious in victory, and we must be gracious in defeat. Today, we are showing that we know how to lose," he said. "We lost the match and we accept it, but that doesn't mean we stop living or forget everything we did to get here."
