The defeat of the Argentine national team against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final hurt across the country, but behind closed doors the bitterness was even deeper. One of those who could not hide his anger was Lautaro Martínez, who through his Instagram account released a phrase that revealed his discomfort at having watched the match from the bench.
“I would have liked to try to help the team yesterday on the pitch, but oh well…” wrote the Inter striker, in a message that combined the pain of defeat with a barely disguised complaint. El Toro did not get any minutes in the decider and watched Spain take the trophy while he warmed up on the bench without being able to step onto the field.
The forward, who was one of the offensive alternatives throughout the tournament, was not chosen by the coaching staff to come on even when the team was desperately seeking an equalizer. His post, which began with a recognition of the collective effort, quickly turned into a personal lament that did not go unnoticed.
“We tried. For the second consecutive World Cup we reached a world final; this time it didn’t happen for us,” Martínez added, trying to play it cool but unable to hide the thorn in his side. The Argentine national team arrived as defending champions from Qatar 2022, but Spain prevailed and dashed the dream of back-to-back titles.
The striker avoided directly mentioning Lionel Scaloni or questioning tactical decisions, but his phrase left the question hanging: why didn’t he play? The lack of minutes for El Toro in the final was one of the points that drew the most attention, especially when the team needed offensive freshness in the second half.
Beyond the personal displeasure, Martínez also had words for the fans. “Thanks to all the people who supported us throughout this World Cup, traveling miles and miles to be close to us, and to all the people who cheered from every corner of our country,” he wrote, in an attempt to close the cycle with a gesture of gratitude.
The final was marked by tension and controversy. Argentina played much of the match with ten players, and Scaloni himself was booked for angrily protesting a decision by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. In the midst of the chaos, Lautaro watched everything from the outside, powerless.
“I feel so proud to be ARGENTINE,” the striker concluded, with the nationality in capital letters. But the message had already set off alarm bells: El Toro’s anger is real, and his complaint about not being part of the final was forever etched on social media.
The Argentine national team must now recover from the blow, but the internal cracks left by this defeat could be deeper than imagined. Lautaro Martínez spoke, and his message left no doubt: he wanted to be on the pitch.
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Para mí, Lautaro la tenés adentro, te borró la dictadura de Scaloni como la derecha neofascista a los laburantes. Esa final la perdimos por tibios, no por vos. Esto huele a técnico entreguista, basta de cagones.
Para mí Lautaro tiene razón, esto huele a traición. Scaloni es un vendido que nos caga con estos zurdos de mierda, te tenía que haber puesto a vos que sos un crack, no a estos negros de mierda que no meten una. Argentina la concha de tu madre, nos robaron el mundial. Vamos Toro, sos el único macho de esta selección.