Argentina Lost the World Cup but Tapia Proudly Declares Current Squad the Best in History

Staff Report: PNN

Argentina Football Association (AFA) President Claudio Tapia has expressed pride in the national team’s performance despite their defeat against Spain in the FIFA World Cup final, where Argentina lost 1-0 and missed the opportunity to win the title for the second consecutive time.

Tapia believes the current Argentina squad is the greatest team in the country’s football history, considering their consistent success and performances in major tournaments over recent years.

Speaking at the AFA’s ‘Sponsor Day’ event, Tapia highlighted Argentina’s remarkable record, saying that the team reached five major tournament finals in the last five years and won four of them — a level of consistency rarely achieved by any previous generation.

“Five finals and four victories — for me, this is the best Argentina team we have ever seen. They have represented the country through their results. Even after losing the World Cup final against Spain, we remain proud of their performance,” Tapia said.

Argentina’s recent golden era began with their Copa America triumph in 2021. Under Lionel Messi’s leadership, the team later won the 2022 Finalissima and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They also lifted the Copa America trophy again in 2024.

At the 2026 World Cup, Argentina once again delivered an impressive campaign and reached the final for the second consecutive tournament. However, they eventually fell short against Spain in the title-deciding match.

Tapia said the team’s achievements should not be judged by the result of a single match. According to him, this generation of players has consistently carried Argentina’s flag to the highest level of international football.

The AFA president also discussed the challenges of the expanded 2026 World Cup format. He pointed out that the increase in participating teams, additional matches, different time zones, and a longer schedule created extra pressure on players.

“This was a different kind of World Cup. There were more teams, more matches, and major time-zone challenges. Despite that, this team proved once again that it has maintained the highest standards for years,” Tapia said.

Although Argentina failed to defend their World Cup crown, their achievements in recent years remain remarkable. Reaching five major finals and winning four trophies in five years has established this squad as one of the most successful generations in Argentine football history.

Tapia’s comments indicate that he does not consider the World Cup final defeat a failure. Instead, he praised the team’s consistency, competitive mentality, and contribution to restoring Argentina’s position among the world’s football giants.