Lionel Messi's reaction in the final moments of the 2026 World Cup caused a strong repercussion in the British press. After Spain's victory over Argentina, Jeremy Cross, a columnist for the newspaper The Mirror, published a chronicle critical of the Argentine captain's behavior.
English newspaper massacres Messi after final: "Petulant and shameful"
Lionel Messi's reaction in the final moments of the 2026 World Cup caused a strong repercussion in the British press. After Spain's victory over Argentina, Jeremy Cross, a columnist for the newspaper The Mirror,...
The journalist focused his analysis on the episodes that occurred close to the final whistle, especially after Enzo Fernández's expulsion and during the confusion involving Marc Cucurella. In one of the moves, Messi went to referee Slavko Vin?i? to complain about the Spanish player's attitude.
For Cross, the Argentine's attempt to attract the referee's attention was incompatible with the importance that the striker has achieved in football.
“Seeing someone of Messi’s stature trying to use this to his advantage is shameful, embarrassing and humiliating,” he wrote.
In the columnist's opinion, the attitude made the number 10 look like “a spoiled child running to complain to the teacher”. Cross also stated that, in that moment, Messi compromised his own respect and dignity.
The criticism, however, was not directed at the player's sporting performance. The text recognizes that the Argentine played a prominent role in the tournament, broke records and once again led the team to a World Cup final.
The contrast between Messi's campaign and his conduct after the defeat is the main point of the chronicle.
"There is a way to lose, and Messi is not too old to learn it. What he showed the world at the final whistle was not something expected of him," said Cross.
At the end of the analysis, the journalist highlighted the dimension of the Argentine's trajectory and recalled his contributions to football. Even so, he considered that the episode could remain among the negative memories of a possible farewell to the World Cup.
Cross defined Messi as “fallible, vulnerable and human”, but assessed that the attacker also demonstrated that he did not know how to deal with defeat. According to the columnist, the stance adopted in the final cast “a bit of shame on his extraordinary legacy”.
Spain secured the second world title in its history by beating Argentina 1-0. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal during extra time.
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Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Ultima Hora
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