Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez has spoken out after he did not feature for a single minute in Argentina's 2026 FIFA World Cup final defeat to Spain, going unused despite six substitutions being made during the game.
Argentina's World Cup Final Loss
Argentina fell 1-0 to Spain in the final, with coach Lionel Scaloni forced into a difficult night on the touchline. Three of his six changes came as a direct response to injuries and a red card. Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero both limped off with injuries, while Enzo Fernandez's red card also disrupted Argentina's plans. Gonzalo Montiel was withdrawn for Nahuel Molina, and Marcos Senesi came on in place of Julian Alvarez.
Lautaro Martinez Reacts to Being Unused
Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport noted that even when an additional substitution slot opened up in extra time, Scaloni still did not turn to Lautaro Martinez. The striker, who leads Inter Milan, watched the entire final from the bench without being given the opportunity to influence the result.
Following the defeat, Lautaro took to Instagram to share his feelings about the night and Argentina's tournament as a whole.
“We tried. For the second consecutive World Cup, we reached the final, but this time it wasn't meant to be. I feel so proud to be ARGENTINE. I would have loved to try to help the team on the pitch yesterday, but it is what it is,” he wrote. “Thank you to everyone who supported us throughout this World Cup, travelling kilometre after kilometre to be close to us, and to everyone who backed us from every corner of our country.”
The message captured both his personal frustration at not being introduced and his pride in Argentina's run to a second straight World Cup final since their triumph in Qatar in 2022.
Messi Reacts After Argentina's Loss
Legit.ng previously reported that Lionel Messi reacted after Argentina lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium. The Argentina captain admitted that he was hurt and will take a while to heal after they lost the match in a disappointing manner over 120 minutes.
