Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan shared an emotional tribute to Lionel Messi after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, reports Times of India.
He said that every champion eventually faces the moment when “others are better than you”.
After greeting fans outside his Mumbai residence, Jalsa, during his traditional Sunday meet, the 83-year-old actor stayed awake to watch the World Cup final.
He later reflected on the result in a post on his personal blog.
Bachchan, a long-time football enthusiast, sympathised with Messi after Spain ended Argentina’s title defence with a 1-0 victory in extra time.
“The game… over… Spain the Champions and Messi lost… tears of emotion… sad… but the day comes for every champion… as you turn the corner, you find there are others better than you… accept the love that came your way… rest in that glory,” he wrote.
The final remained goalless until substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute, sealing Spain’s victory and ending Argentina’s reign as world champions.
The defeat also ended Messi’s hopes of retaining the World Cup title.
In the same blog post, Bachchan shared a lighter moment from his weekly gathering with fans.
He posted a photograph of a dog dressed in raincoats to protect it from the monsoon before it was brought to the event.
Amused by the sight, the actor praised the creativity behind the gesture, calling it a uniquely Indian innovation.
“…and as for this Champion… only in INDIA… covered and protected from the Monsoon… was brought to GOJ for the Sunday meet… would never know what he was doing there… Innovation thy name is BHARAT… Love and now to bed… it’s almost 5:30 am of the 20th Monday,” he wrote.
Bachchan has followed the FIFA World Cup closely throughout the tournament, regularly sharing his thoughts on the matches through his personal blog.
The actor recently revealed that he had finished work at 4 am before finally going to bed, highlighting his demanding schedule.
Despite the workload, he continues to balance film shoots, television commitments, brand endorsements and his daily blog.
On the work front, Bachchan is filming the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD and the courtroom drama Section 84.
He will also return as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18, which premieres on 10 August 2026.
