A controversial World Cup ended with Lionel Messi missing out on becoming a two-time world champion after Argentina lost to Spain in the final.

Ferran Torres scored the winner in extra time after Enzo Fernandez’s sending-off during second-half stoppage time. A post-match brawl saw Leandro Paredes also red-carded after the game for throwing punches at Gavi.

Messi had been looking to win the tournament for the second time in a row after his heroics in Qatar back in the winter of 2022. He put his nation on his back once again with extraordinary performances throughout this campaign.

The 39-year-old ultimately came up short as Argentina were deservedly beaten by Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday. He couldn’t quite get a foothold in the game and this may have cost him the Golden Ball award.

Argentine Press Furious as FIFA ‘Insult’ Messi

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

Messi headed into the final as the favourite to win the Player of the Tournament award after posting eight goals and four assists en route to the showpiece. He had also been in a battle with Kylian Mbappe to win the Golden Boot.

The France captain scored a brace in a 6-4 loss to England in the third-place play-off on Saturday. He therefore finished as the tournament’s top goalscorer with 10 goals.

There has been a debate over Mbappe winning the Golden Boot because his two goals came in a somewhat dead rubber. But the Argentine media are more infuriated with Messi missing out on the Golden Ball, which was awarded to Spain skipper Rodri.

TyC Sports journalist Antonio Serpa has called out FIFA for showing a ‘complete lack of sensitivity’ by snubbing Messi. While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was named the second best player of the tournament, that wasn’t enough for Serpa, who told the Argentine broadcaster:

“Giving the award to Rodri is almost an insult, it shows a complete lack of sensitivity. Not because the Spaniard is a bad player, but simply because Lionel Messi was the heart and soul of Argentina and the World Cup.”

Serpa added: “He graced the pitches with his brilliance and tears at 39, filling the nets with goals and the stadiums with fans of every nationality who came to see this phenomenon of all time in person. If the criteria is to give awards to the winners, then Infantino and his team need to be told that football is won with goals, not passes.”

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach via Action Images

The Argentine also pointed out that Rodri didn’t score a goal or make an assist during the tournament. Messi picked up the Golden Ball back in 2022 after heroically firing Argentina to the World Cup for the first time in his career.