The 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final ended Argentina's title defense and likely Lionel Messi's career on the global stage. Fans in Buenos Aires mourned the end of an era.
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BUENOS AIRES – At the Cafe Relax bar in the historic center of Buenos Aires, the final whistle brought a silence that had been building for 90 minutes of tension. Argentina had lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey. For the fans crowded around the tables, the scoreline was secondary to the realization that 39-year-old Lionel Messi likely played his last World Cup match.
"I feel empty. Empty because of Messi, because I won't see him in a World Cup again," said Camilo Cichero, a 22-year-old architecture student. He was comforting a friend who wept into his hands. "At least it gives me peace of mind knowing he's already won everything there was to win."
Juan Saenz, 22, a law student, composed himself to speak. "This was the last of Messi," he said. "It was the very end, and it finished this way. I was born while Messi was playing, and this was the end of that era."
Argentina entered the final after a scrappy run of narrow victories. Fans draped in blue-and-white flags and national jerseys packed bars and public squares despite an icy cold day. Early excitement gave way to tension by halftime. In the second half, angry shouts mixed with chants at the screen. Some sat with arms folded, feet tapping, chewing nails. A woman wailed when Enzo Fernandez was sent off for two yellow cards.
Before extra time, Teresa Dolores del Rio Varela, 87, complained that "it drags on and on, and you start to get nervous." She wanted the game to end. Joaquin Romero, 22, who works in sales, said the match was "incredibly complicated" but insisted, "We're Argentine. We're champions and we're going to win."
A dramatic extra-time goal by Ferran Torres silenced the bar for the final minutes. Cichero said he was sad for Messi and dismayed at the game. "I didn't like how Argentina played," he said. "I didn't like the game plan, the substitutions, the players. I didn't like the referee."
Abel Torres, a 62-year-old retiree wearing a blue-and-white jester hat and blowing a vuvuzela, teared up. "Argentina gave it their all," he said. "Today was a true example of what Argentina is all about: that despite the hard times and the obstacles we face, we always rise again. It wasn't our World Cup this time, this team taught us a great deal about never giving up."
Around the city, fireworks went off and car horns honked. Thousands of fans made their way to the iconic Obelisk, the traditional place for football celebrations. Many said they would take to the streets to welcome the team home. President Javier Milei wrote on X: "Thank you so much, players!!! You fought until the very end. Argentina will always stand tall."
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