‘We are gracious’ – Scaloni bizarrely suggests Argentina lost with dignity as Messi is robbed | OneFootball

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni bizarrely suggested that his side “know how to lose” despite a number of embarrassing incidents as they lost to Spain in the World Cup final.

The Albiceleste players only registered their first shot in extra time as a Ferran Torres header settled the tie on 106 minutes, with Spain winning their second World Cup.

Argentina had attempted to rough up the Spain players throughout the game and Enzo Fernandez eventually paid the price for their heavy-handed tactics, as he was sent off in added time at the end of the second half.

Spain had been in control throughout the game, although Argentina did have a couple of good chances at the very end of extra time, and ran out deserved winners on Sunday.

The end of the game was marred when Argentina defender Nahuel Molina seemed to swing a punch towards the stomach of Rodri as he ran away to celebrate winning the World Cup with his team-mates.

Then, Argentina’s Leandro Paredes was seen shoving Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat before Gavi was hauled to the ground by his bib during the melee.

Gary Neville said on ITV: “It’s a disgrace. I love the competitiveness of the Argentines, fighting and scrapping for their lives, Messi has propped them up, but it’s been a disgrace the last few games.”

Alan Shearer said on BBC: “Paredes threw two or three haymakers into someone’s face. He went for them. There is no place or space for that.

“We know how much it means to them and we know how much it hurts to lose, but there is a way to lose. Too many times we have seen that from Argentina. The reaction after the final whistle is terrible.”

The Argentina players also apparently turned their back on Spain when they lifted the World Cup trophy and, while admitting that Spain were the better side, Argentina boss Scaloni weirdly lauded his players for “showing that we know how to lose”.

Scaloni told reporters: “They were the better side – that’s the truth. But I’ll cherish the memory of my players, what they achieved and the effort it took to reach this stage.”

“We have to place immense value on this because it takes so much effort.

“We are gracious in victory, and we must be gracious in defeat. Today, we are showing that we know how to lose.

“We lost the match, and we accept it, but that doesn’t mean we stop living or forget everything we did to get here.”

Scaloni added: “To the people, my players and the country, I want to say that we gave it our all.

“We arrived here facing a realistic situation, but if the players leave everything on the pitch, as they did today, it sets a great example for our people and our country.

“We have to pick ourselves up again. There is no other way.”

The Argentina boss believes finishing second “deserves huge recognition”, he continued: “I certainly value the runners-up spot because it takes so much to get here, and I think it deserves huge recognition.

“Naturally, we would have liked to win, but ultimately, I feel gratitude. That is the only word I have, along with sadness, of course.

“But when you give everything like that, regardless of whether you play well or poorly, it’s very hard to find fault.”

Mbappe Golden Boot is ‘very unfair’ on Messi

Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot after scoring twice in a 6-4 defeat to England in the third place play-off at the World Cup on Saturday – but Shearer and Wayne Rooney don’t think those goals should have counted, leaving Lionel Messi as joint top scorer.

Shearer said: “I was just looking at yesterday’s game the way it was played like a testimonial.

“France are out and Mbappe has scored his two goals. France are out.

“Lionel Messi is playing in a World Cup final against a Spain team that have only conceded one goal and that is a lot more difficult.”

Rooney gave his thoughts: “I just think France got knocked out of the tournament and had the third and fourth play-off game.

“Listen, I don’t (think they should count). They do obviously but I think that’s very unfair on Messi.”