Argentina president Javier Milei declares national holiday despite World Cup final defeat for Lionel Messi & Co

Argentina’s government took the unexpected step of allowing the squad to select a national holiday to mark their tournament campaign. Despite suffering a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain due to a Ferran Torres strike, the team's overall efforts received high praise. The decision is unusual given that the Albiceleste failed to retain their world crown after a toothless display without registering a single shot on target in New York.

The official announcement quickly triggered fierce public debate, particularly since Lionel Scaloni’s side only finished as runners-up. The president himself chose to bypass attending the showpiece event in person due to his superstitious nature.

Writing on X, Milei stated: "Given the concern about the celebrations for the achievement reached by the Argentine National Team, I inform the population that, depending on what the Players and the Technical Staff decide regarding the day to celebrate, it will be declared a national holiday."

The policy caused widespread confusion among local citizens who felt celebrating a second-place finish was inappropriate, with some even suspecting a technical error. Many supporters argued that the players would prefer to shift focus back to their respective clubs rather than participate in a parade.

Defending the efforts of Lionel Messi and his team-mates, Milei added in a separate post: "Thank you so much, players. [We fought] until the end with our boots on. Argentina always at the top."

The coaching staff must now quickly turn their focus toward blooding new talent to replace the veteran core set to step away from international football. It is expected that Messi has played his sixth and final World Cup, though the Inter Miami star has yet to confirm he will be stepping down from Argentina duty at 39.

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