Lionel Scaloni after the loss to Spain: "We are great in victory and we must be great in defeat"

The 1-0 defeat against Spain in the extra time of the 2026 World Cup final ended the dream of a two-time championship for the Argentine National Team. However, far from focusing solely on the result, Lionel Scaloni chose to highlight the team's journey throughout the tournament, the commitment of its players, and the pride of having reached the World Cup final once again.

In a press conference, the coach began with a message of gratitude towards the squad, which he valued for bringing the Albiceleste to a World Cup final once again. "I have a lot to say about how we got here, but it's not worth endlessly thanking these guys who have given us another World Cup final and competed until the end. I hold a huge memory of them, of what they have done, of what it means to get this far. We have to give it enormous value because it costs a lot", he expressed.

"We have to be great in defeat"

Scaloni acknowledged that Spain was superior, although he emphasized that the group must face the defeat with the same strength with which they celebrated the successes of recent years. "We are great in victory and we have to be great in defeat. We are showing today that we know how to lose. We lost the match and we take responsibility for it, but that doesn't mean we will forget everything we did to get here", he stated.

In that same vein, he thanked the support of the fans and stated that the team represented the country in the best possible way. "So nothing, thank the people, my players, and tell the country that we gave everything. We arrived at a very crucial moment, but if they give everything like they did today, it's a great example for our people, for our country, and above all that we lost", he pointed out.

The message to rise up

The coach insisted that sports also involve learning to live with defeats and called for looking ahead after the blow suffered in the final. "You lose and you have to get up again. That's the only way", he stated.

Additionally, he rejected the idea that the runners-up would be forgotten and emphasized the merit of reaching a World Cup final. "They say that nobody remembers the seconds, but you know that they will want to welcome you just like if you had been world champions today. Well, I do remember the seconds because it costs a lot to get this far and I think it deserves enormous value", he assured.

"It's very difficult to blame anything"

Finally, Scaloni did not hide his sadness for being one step away from the title, although he made it clear that the effort made by his players does not admit questioning. "Of course we would have liked to win, but nothing, gratitude. It's the only word I have and sadness, of course. But when you give everything like that, then you can play well or poorly, but when you give everything like that it's very difficult to blame anything, it's very difficult", he concluded.

With those words, the coach closed a World Cup stage in which Argentina returned to establish itself among the best teams in the world. Although the two-time championship remained in the hands of Spain, Scaloni chose to focus on the journey taken and on a squad that, once again, brought the Albiceleste to the final stage of the tournament.