“The tears took you back to a balmy July night 36 years ago. As Leo Messi stood there at the MetLife Stadium,defeated ,on Sunday night, it was impossible not to be reminded of Diego Maradona. ‘El Diego’ was inconsolable as the Germans walked up to receive the World Cup at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome after their 1–0 win in the 1990 tournament.” (Dwaipayan Datta)
Read the entire article here.
The similarities to Maradona’s 1990 loss are startling….
The article highlights several remarkable parallels between the two tournaments:..
Both were playing in their second consecutive World Cup final as captain
Maradona captained Argentina to the 1986 and 1990 finals.
Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 and 2026 finals.
Both led Argentina to consecutive finals after winning the previous World Cup.
Both were ageing legends carrying enormous expectations
Maradona was 29 and no longer at the explosive peak of 1986.
Messi was 39, playing in what was widely expected to be his final World Cup.
In both cases, Argentina relied heavily on the genius of one iconic No. 10.
Both arrived at the final after extraordinary personal tournaments
Maradona had dragged an unfancied Argentina through the knockout rounds in 1990.
Messi had inspired Argentina throughout the 2026 tournament with decisive performances, including his match-winning influence in the semifinal against England.
Both lost to the strongest European side in the tournament
In 1990, West Germany had been the dominant team throughout the competition.
In 2026, Spain entered the final after convincingly defeating France and continued that superiority in the championship match.
Neither legend could impose himself on the final
The article points out that both Maradona and Messi were largely neutralized by disciplined opposition.
They were unable to dictate the game as they had done in earlier rounds.
Both finals marked the end of an era
The 1990 defeat effectively ended Maradona’s reign as Argentina’s World Cup leader.
The 2026 defeat signalled the end of Messi’s World Cup journey, closing one of football’s greatest international careers.
The defining image became the captain in tears
The enduring photograph from Rome in 1990 is Maradona crying during the medal ceremony.
The defining image from MetLife Stadium in 2026 is Messi in tears after receiving his runners-up medal.
The article argues that these two images have become symbolic bookends in Argentina’s football history.
The emotional burden of carrying Argentina
The article emphasizes that both men bore the hopes of an entire footballing nation.
Their tears reflected not simply personal disappointment, but the weight of a country’s expectations resting on one extraordinary player.
A Key Difference
The article also notes an important contrast. While Maradona’s international career effectively ended with the pain of the 1990 final (his 1994 return ended in controversy), Messi leaves the World Cup as a champion, having fulfilled his lifelong dream by winning the 2022 World Cup. This means that although both careers ended with heartbreak, Messi’s legacy is ultimately defined by both triumph and defeat, whereas Maradona’s final World Cup memory is one of loss.