World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi makes first comment since loss to Spain, says it will 'take time for this wound to heal'

A day after his team’s loss to Spain in the World Cup final, Lionel Messi is still feeling the pain. Messi released a statement Monday, reflecting on the loss, thanking his fans and teammates and congratulating Spain on the win.The statement was posted on Messi’s Instagram page in Spanish. Its translation reads:“The pain is immense, and it will take time for this wound to heal. But I also choose to hold on to all the good things … the matches we played, giving everything we had, will stay in our memories forever. With the support of an entire country, together with the hard work and effort of this group, we once again managed to be among the best teams in the world. Today it’s difficult to fully appreciate what we achieved, but this team reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you