The trophy, the Golden Ball, and the scoring title all slipped away... Messi's heartbreaking final 120 minutes [2026 World Cup]

[Financial News] Just 120 minutes, and this one match changed everything. The final World Cup stage of Lionel Messi, the brilliant 'god of football,' ended in bitter tears.
On the 20th, local time in Korea, at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey, where the 2026 FIFA World Cup final was held, Messi led Argentina's attack and aimed for a historic second straight World Cup title, something no team had achieved in 64 years. After carrying the team to the final with seemingly magical performances throughout the tournament, it felt as if divine favor was on Messi's side. But on the most important stage of all, he lost in an instant the many great achievements he had been within reach of.
The most painful loss was, without question, the championship trophy. Trapped by Spain's organized suffocating defense, Argentina fell 1-0 after conceding a heartbreaking extra-time winner to Ferran Torres in the first minute of the second half of extra time. Before that goal, Argentina had not managed a single shot, and after such a poor showing, it squandered its chance to become only the third nation in history to win back-to-back World Cups, following Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962.

Along with the team's defeat, Messi's personal glory vanished like a mirage.
He had scored eight goals before the final and was widely seen as a leading candidate for the scoring title, but he lost the Golden Boot to France's Kylian Mbappé, who exploded for multiple goals in the third-place match and finished the tournament with 10. He also trailed badly in assists, with four, far behind Michael Olise of France, who recorded seven.
Even the Golden Ball, the tournament's most likely individual prize, slipped away. Messi had been expected to win after leading Argentina with commanding presence throughout the competition, but the choice of FIFA's technical committee and the media went to Rodri, the midfield general and key figure behind Spain's title run. Even though there had been cases in the past, such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where a player won the Golden Ball despite missing out on the title, this time he had to settle for the Silver Ball.

Above all, this final defeat is expected to deal a fatal blow to this year's Ballon d'Or race. Messi had hoped to use his dominant tournament run as a springboard to reclaim the award, but he now appears likely to hand the favorite's spot to Rodri, who won the UEFA Euro 2024 title and the Golden Ball after lifting the World Cup.
Messi's achievements to date are a towering monument in football history, beyond the reach of almost anyone. But his last World Cup, and the final match of that journey, turned into a cruel disaster. The scoring title, the Golden Ball, a second straight World Cup, and even the Ballon d'Or were all there for the taking. Instead, Messi's last dance ended with empty hands and, ultimately, a painful full stop marked by hot tears.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter