An Argentine psychologist has claimed that the La Albiceleste team, led by Lionel Messi, was instructed to lose the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
The final, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, was a tense and physical match that ended without any goals after 90 minutes.
In the extra time, La Roja’s forward Ferran Torres scored the only goal (106′), leading his team to secure their second World Cup title, following their victory in 2010.
Both fans and analysts noted several unusual elements in Argentina’s gameplay during the match. They became the first team in World Cup final history to record zero shots on target in the first 90 minutes and did not manage a single shot on target throughout the entire 120 minutes.
Star forward Lionel Messi, who had accumulated eight goals and four assists in seven matches prior to the final, managed only one shot during the game, which was blocked.
Goalkeeper, Emi Martinez was required to make an impressive 11 saves as Lionel Scaloni’s team employed a cautious and highly defensive strategy in this crucial international match.
Recently, a video shared by the Argentine news outlet MDZ features a psychologist sharing her perspective on the unusual game. She stated (via @mdzol on X), “There’s no doubt that the Argentine National Team was ordered to lose. As a psychologist, I’m trained to see and hear what’s left unsaid. And in Sunday’s match, I saw strange things. They treated us like fools and put on a show.”
With the loss, Argentina became the second team to have lost four finals (1930, 1990, 2014, 2026), following Germany, which lost in 1966, 1982, 1986, and 2002.