Sourav Ganguly responds to criticism surrounding Lionel Messi

The football world is still reeling from the 2026 World Cup final. Argentina's defeat to Spain in the decisive match and the performance of Lionel Messi have sparked much debate. Legendary Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly joined the discussion, defending the 39-year-old forward. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

In the final hosted at MetLife Stadium, Argentina lost 0-1. After the match, many fans and experts noted that Lionel Messi failed to show his top level, questioning his impact on the team. However, in Ganguly's view, it is unfair to judge a great athlete's legacy by a single game.

Tactical superiority and the human factor

In his interview, Sourav Ganguly emphasized that any athlete, even Lionel Messi, can have an off day. According to him, criticizing a player solely for his performance in one final is the wrong approach.

"The legacy of a legend like Lionel Messi should never be judged based on a single match. We must remember that he is human, and no one can play at the same level every day. Measuring his entire career by the result of one final is simply unfair," noted the former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Ganguly also acknowledged that the Spanish national team was tactically superior that evening. In his opinion, "La Roja" stifled Argentina's creativity and managed to isolate Messi on the pitch.

A new era in Argentine football

After this defeat, many are asking one question: will Lionel Messi take the field in an Argentina jersey again? Although the team led by Lionel Scaloni defended the Copa América two years ago, the World Cup final loss signals that major changes are coming to the squad.

Ganguly believes that reaching the final itself is a great achievement. Emphasizing that victory and defeat go hand in hand in football, the former cricketer praised the consistency of the Argentine national team in recent years. The future of Messi is also of interest to football fans, as every step he takes is etched into the history of world football.

So far, Lionel Messi has not made an official statement regarding his future. It is highly likely that this tournament will be the last major competition for the Inter Miami star, but his place in the football world and his achievements remain above any result.