Lionel Scaloni reiterated that Spain were simply better than Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final.

Argentina went down with a whimper at New York New Jersey Stadium, where Ferran Torres proved to be Spain’s World Cup hero.

His extra-time strike sealed a 1-0 win for La Roja, who were dominant throughout.

Argentina became the first team to fail to have a single shot through regulation time of a World Cup final, and they managed just two attempts in total, with their first coming from Lionel Messi in the 117th minute.

Scaloni’s players felt aggrieved when referee Slavko Vincic sent Enzo Fernandez off late in the second half of normal time, but Scaloni insisted the referee was not to blame for the loss.

“Was the officiating unfair?” No, we lost because Spain were better than us,” Scaloni told reporters upon his return to Argentina.

“We’ve got to admit it, they played better. [Admitting that] will make us better in the long run.”

Argentina committed 25 fouls against Spain, the most in a World Cup game since …

Argentina (26) against France in the 2022 World Cup final. pic.twitter.com/9zqUss33sq

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) July 19, 2026

Scaloni also suggested fatigue played its part in Argentina’s underwhelming display.

“We probably arrived at the final running on empty, that’s the reality,” he said.

Argentina’s cause was not helped by an injury to Lisandro Martinez, who had to be substituted off.

“We faced adversity, achieved what once seemed impossible, and never looked for excuses, we only found reasons to keep going,” the Manchester United defender wrote in a social media post.

“We defended our colors far beyond the pitch, and shared unforgettable moments with the national team, alongside our families and with the unconditional support of every Argentine. It will always be an immense honour to represent you.”