Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Lionel Messi’s bid to script yet another fairytale ended in disappointment as Argentina fell 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final, denying the legendary forward a second successive World Cup title and a first-ever Golden Boot.
The 39-year-old arrived in the final with eight goals and was firmly in contention for the tournament’s top scorer award. However, Spain’s disciplined defence kept him off the scoresheet, while France’s Kylian Mbappé finished with 10 goals after scoring twice in the third-place playoff to clinch the Golden Boot.
For Messi, missing out on the Golden Boot was particularly painful. Despite a glittering career filled with virtually every major honour in football, the World Cup’s top scorer award has always eluded him. He also fell short in 2022 when Mbappé finished with one more goal.
Nevertheless, Messi once again proved why he is regarded as one of football’s all-time greats.
Messi’s remarkable campaign ensured his legacy remained intact, even if the tournament ended with the agony of two missed prizes.