New Footage Reveals Messi's Plea To Emotional Argentina Players Before WC Final | WATCH

Last Updated:July 21, 2026, 15:58 IST

New footage shows Lionel Messi urging Argentina to "stay calm" moments before the World Cup final against Spain, sparking fresh debate over the team's mindset before defeat.

Fresh footage from inside Argentina’s tunnel moments before the 2026 FIFA World Cup final has offered a rare glimpse into Lionel Messi’s final pre-match team talk.

Messi’s side eventually fell 1-0 to Spain after extra time at MetLife Stadium, with Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute strike handing La Roja their second World Cup title. While the scoreline was narrow, the contest was anything but.

Spain dominated from start to finish, limiting Argentina to just two shots across 120 minutes while creating chance after chance in one of the most one-sided World Cup finals in recent history.

Now, a tunnel video circulating on social media has reignited debate over whether Argentina entered the match mentally burdened before a ball had even been kicked.

“Let’s Stay Calm"

As captain Messi prepared to lead Argentina onto the pitch carrying the team’s pennant, he turned towards his teammates — many of whom appeared tense and subdued — and delivered a simple but telling message.

“Come on, guys, stay calm, folks. Let’s stay calm, guys. Let’s just think about playing, stay calm. Let’s forget about everything. Let’s just think about playing, folks."

The clip has quickly gone viral, with supporters dissecting both Messi’s words and the body language of the players around him.

Some fans believe the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was urging his teammates to ignore the growing criticism surrounding Argentina’s route to the final. Lionel Scaloni’s side had been accused throughout the knockout rounds of benefiting from favourable refereeing decisions, while their aggressive approach also drew widespread criticism.

Others suggested the emotion of potentially sharing a World Cup pitch with Messi for the final time had weighed heavily on the squad. Although the 39-year-old has yet to announce his international retirement, the defeat is widely expected to be his last appearance at football’s biggest tournament.

A Bitter Ending

Argentina’s frustrations boiled over after the final whistle.

Leandro Paredes received a straight red card following an altercation with Spain’s Eric Garcia, while ugly scenes involving players from both sides prompted FIFA to open a disciplinary investigation.

The runners-up also broke with tradition during the medal ceremony.

After collecting their silver medals from FIFA president Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump, Argentina’s players chose not to remain on the podium to watch Spain lift the World Cup trophy.

Instead, they walked towards the section housing their supporters, applauding the travelling fans as Messi’s World Cup journey appeared to come to an emotional close.

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Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His...Read More

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