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Lionel Messi's wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, took to social media to praise the Argentinian legend after the World Cup.
Looking to win back-to-back World Cup titles, Messi, who was savagely yanked back by Donald Trump in an excruciating moment, and Argentina were outclassed by a Spain squad that outplayed them in almost every facet of the match.
Eventually, Spain edged out the win thanks to Ferran Torres' goal in the 106th minute, the dagger in what had been a very physical matchup. Then a lip reader exposed FIFA boss Gianni Infantino's desperate plea to Trump that he ignored in a humiliating moment.
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Despite the controversial end to the tournament, Messi's wife praised the fact he will "always fight to the end" and made it clear she was proud of the way things ended.
“You will always be the best," the caption on her post on Instagram read. "Not only because of your talent, but because you have never stopped being yourself. No matter what happens, you never give up, you always fight until the very end, and you give everything you have until the last second.
"That strength, that mindset, and your ability to get back up time and again are what make you unique."
She added, "Thank you for teaching us every day that true success is built through hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, and never losing your essence. You are the best example for our children and an inspiration to millions of people. I admire you more than words can express, and I am incredibly proud to walk through life by your side. I love you so much."
Roccuzzo's message comes after Messi posted a lengthy note on social media expressing his heartbreak now that Argentina's quest for another World Cup title is over, and along with it, his international career.
"The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal," his Instagram post Monday read.
"But I also hold onto all the good things... The matches we turned around by giving it our all—moments that will remain in our memories forever—and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group's hard work and effort, brought us back among the world's elite once again.
"It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message. Once again, we managed to unite as a country and stand together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentine.
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"I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship."
While Messi and Roccuzzo's messages are heartwarming, the Argentinian players' actions after the match were anything but. As the Spanish players celebrated, a number of Argentinian stars were spotted fighting their opponents, with Leandro Paredes fighting multiple players at one point. The sister of the Paredes has now reignited a controversy after her brother's disgraceful antics.
A member of head coach Lionel Scaloni's coaching staff also was seen confronting a Spanish player as the kerfuffle continued to grow. FIFA will be investigating the incident, putting a damper on what was an impressive clash between the two sides, the extra activity notwithstanding.
It comes as Paredes refused to apologize, with the disgraced Argentina star breaking his silence on the controversy.
