Angel Di Maria paid an emotional tribute to Argentina’s players after their World Cup final defeat to Spain, insisting Lionel Scaloni’s squad had already secured their place in the nation’s football history.
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time on Sunday, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute to deny the defending champions a fourth World Cup crown.
Di Maria, who retired from international football after Argentina’s Copa America triumph in 2024, watched from afar before posting a heartfelt message on social media.
“An entire country is proud of you,” the former winger wrote alongside a photo of the Argentina squad.
“An entire country came together once again because of the love and courage you showed.”
The 38-year-old also praised the team’s remarkable consistency under Scaloni, reminding his former teammates that one defeat would not erase years of success.
“You are history. You are legends. No one can ever take that away from you,” Di Maria added.
“The best national team in our country’s history. Five consecutive finals, nobody can take that away from you. Thank you so much for everything. I love you all.”
Argentina reached a fifth straight major final under Scaloni before falling to Spain at MetLife Stadium. Despite the defeat, the Albiceleste remain one of the most successful international sides of the modern era after winning the 2022 World Cup and back-to-back Copa America titles.
