Scaloni salutes Spain after Argentina fall short in World Cup final

Substitute Ferran Torres struck the decisive goal in the second period of extra time as Spain edged Argentina to claim the World Cup title, finally breaking the deadlock against a resilient Albiceleste side that had been reduced to 10 men.

The defeat ended Argentina’s hopes of becoming the first nation since 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup, despite another outstanding tournament led by captain Lionel Messi.

Speaking after the final whistle, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni refused to make excuses and admitted Spain deserved their victory.

“They were the better side – that’s the truth,” Scaloni said. “But I’ll always cherish the memory of my players, what they achieved and the incredible effort it took to reach this stage.

“We have to place immense value on this because it takes so much work to get here.”

The 48-year-old praised his squad for handling defeat with the same humility they had shown during their recent triumphs.

“We are gracious in victory, and we must be gracious in defeat. Today, we are showing that we know how to lose.”

Scaloni insisted that while the loss was painful, it should not overshadow everything Argentina accomplished throughout the tournament.

“We lost the match, and we accept it, but that doesn’t mean we stop living or forget everything we did to get here.”

The Argentina boss also expressed his gratitude to the supporters who stood behind the team throughout the competition and commended his players for leaving everything on the pitch.

“To the people, my players and the country, I want to say that we gave it our all.

“We arrived here facing a realistic situation, but if the players leave everything on the pitch, as they did today, it sets a great example for our people and our country.”

Looking ahead, Scaloni said the team’s focus must now turn to recovering from the disappointment.

“We have to pick ourselves up again. There is no other way.”

Despite missing out on back-to-back World Cup titles, Scaloni believes reaching a second successive final remains a remarkable achievement.

“I certainly value the runners-up spot because it takes so much to get here, and I think it deserves huge recognition.

“Naturally, we would have liked to win, but ultimately, I feel gratitude. That is the only word I have, along with sadness, of course.

“When you give everything like that, regardless of whether you play well or poorly, it’s very hard to find fault.”