Lionel Scaloni surprised everyone with his words after the final

The 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey ended in a painful defeat for Argentina. The reigning world champions lost to Spain and handed over the trophy to their opponent, but Lionel Scaloni expressed deep gratitude to his players after the match instead of criticizing them.

The Argentina head coach emphasized that accepting defeat with dignity is also a sign of a great team. According to him, the result of the final does not diminish the journey the players took throughout the tournament.

“We are sad, but we gave it our all”

After the final, Scaloni, who congratulated Luis de la Fuente and the Spanish players, praised his team's efforts.

“We are sad, but we gave our all. I could say a lot about the journey we took to get here, but it makes no sense now. I can only express my gratitude to the boys who fought until the last minute,” the coach said.

Scaloni noted that the Argentine players worked hard to reach the final. He considers the team's struggle and unity throughout the tournament as one of the most important results for him.

“We are a great team in both victory and defeat”

Argentina became world champions at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In the 2026 World Cup, the team reached the decisive match again, but this time the trophy went to Spain.

Scaloni said that the team's values remained unchanged even after the defeat.

“We are a great team in both victory and defeat. Today we showed that we can accept defeat with dignity.”

The coach believes that losing the championship does not negate Argentina's achievements in recent years. On the contrary, reaching another final requires great effort and consistency.

Scaloni did not shy away from responsibility

The head coach also emphasized that he takes responsibility for what happened in the final. However, he said it would be wrong to forget the team's journey because of one defeat.

“We take responsibility for what happened. But this should not make us forget what we achieved to get here.”

Scaloni specifically noted that the Argentine players gave their all on the pitch for the people of the country.

“This team is a great example for our people and our country. Sometimes you lose. That's football.”

“I won't forget the second place”

Although Argentina could not win the championship in the final, Scaloni emphasized that the silver medal should also be valued.

“I won't forget that we took second place, because reaching this level is very difficult. Of course, we wanted to be champions, but the only thing I feel now is gratitude.”

According to him, a team can play well sometimes and below expectations at other times. However, if the players have given their all, it is difficult to blame them.

Argentina lost, but did not bow their heads

Spain became world champions for the second time in their history. Argentina finished the tournament with silver medals.

Scaloni did not look for excuses after the final, did not criticize his players, and accepted the opponent's victory with dignity. His main conclusion was simple: the trophy may be lost, but the team's hard work, unity, and journey will not be forgotten.