Lionel Messi has come under criticism following his actions during Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain.
Former Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been criticised over his conduct during the closing stages of Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
In an opinion column for the Daily Mirror, chief sports writer Jeremy Cross argued that Messi’s behaviour during the heated contest overshadowed an otherwise outstanding tournament in which the veteran forward broke records and inspired Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final.
The criticism centred on Messi’s attempt to alert referee Slavko Vinčić to an interaction with Spain defender Marc Cucurella after Enzo Fernandez’s dismissal.
The article also highlighted the ill-tempered nature of the final, which ended with post-match confrontations involving players and coaching staff from both teams.
Despite Argentina’s defeat, Messi finished the tournament with another memorable campaign, while Spain claimed the World Cup title after Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time.
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