President Javier Milei confirmed that the players of the Argentine national team decided not to hold celebrations after the 1-0 defeat against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. According to the president in an interview, the government offered them “six possible different celebrations,” but the representatives of the Albiceleste chose not to celebrate due to the sadness caused by not winning the match.
“The players were given the option of six possible different celebrations. Faced with the sadness caused by not winning the final match, they decided not to hold celebrations,” Milei explained. On Sunday, the head of state had announced that he would decree a national holiday “depending on what the players and coaching staff decide regarding the day to celebrate.” However, given the players’ decision, the possibility of a holiday seems to have faded.
“Leisure and celebrations are also part of human life. One is not a machine that works 24 hours a day every day,” Milei justified when explaining his stance. The president described the national team reaching another final as “an extraordinary event” and emphasized that the offer was made on conditional terms, respecting the players’ decision, “who are worthy of a tribute for the joys they have given the Argentine people over the last 16 years.”
“There are 195 countries in the world. A handful participate in the World Cup, and Argentina reached the final. Among the two best. Then it had a dark day, and luck and football did not accompany it, but also against a great rival,” the president added. In another passage, Milei praised the team’s performance, which reached the final for the second consecutive World Cup, and highlighted their measured attitude even in the face of adverse refereeing decisions. “They have always had a measured position and attitudes, even at times when the referee has had incorrect behavior towards the Argentine team in some matches, they have reacted in a very measured and proper manner,” he noted.
The president also analyzed the match: “This Sunday the match was very adverse for us. Even so, in the last minutes Argentina could have equalized, even though the course of the match was not at all favorable for Argentina.” And he added: “People who have played football know that one day you can wake up well and another not, and that can have consequences on the result. Additionally, Argentina was carrying significant physical issues and lost against a huge rival.”
The news comes as a cold shower for fans who were expecting a massive celebration. The players’ decision not to celebrate, coupled with the absence of a holiday, leaves a bitter taste in a country that dreamed of another title. Meanwhile, the president insists that the government respected the players’ will, although some sectors question whether more could have been done to honor the team.
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Para mí estos jugadores de mierda son unos vendepatria, con plata del Estado se llenan los bolsillos y ahora se hacen los ofendidos. Milei les chorea los derechos y ellos ni pestañean. Vergüenza de selección. ¡A laburar, ojetes!
Para mí estos jugadores de mierda son unos pechos fríos, se niegan a festejar con la gente porque perdieron un partido berreta. Milei les da seis opciones y ellos se hacen los ofendidos. ¡Viva la libertad carajo! Esto huele a los mismos que antes bailaban con la dictadura.