Argentina Declares Bank Holiday Despite World Cup Final Defeat to Spain

Argentina will observe a national bank holiday even after the national football team was defeated 1-0 by Spain in the World Cup final held in New Jersey on July 19. The announcement was made by President Javier Milei, who stated that the date of the holiday will be determined by the players and technical staff.

The match concluded with a goal from Spain's Ferran Torres during extra time. Argentina's Enzo Fernandez, who had scored in the semi-finals against England, was sent off during the final. Post-match tensions escalated when Argentina's Leandro Paredes was expelled for violent conduct, including kicking and pushing opponents after the final whistle.

Captain Lionel Messi, who is 39 years old and likely played his last World Cup game, was visibly emotional at the tournament's end. This final marked his third World Cup final appearance, having won in Qatar four years prior and lost to Germany in 2014.

President Milei, who did not attend the final citing superstition, shared on X in Spanish: "WORLD CELEBRATION. 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."

Following Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory, a bank holiday was declared on the Tuesday after the final to coincide with the players' return parade in Buenos Aires.

Future of Argentina's National Team

Four years ago, Argentina was seen as a dominant force in international football, but the current outcome suggests a rebuilding phase for the team. Head coach Lionel Scaloni was emotional during the post-final press conference and expressed uncertainty about continuing in his role after his contract expires in December.

Scaloni stated, “I have to be honest and say that I have to take time and think about the future, because I’m not sure this can be achieved again.” The next World Cup, scheduled to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with three matches in South America, will likely see Argentina competing without Messi, who would be 43 years old by then.

Regarding Messi, Scaloni remarked, “He is 39 years old, it is unbelievable. It was always crystal clear to me that he would play until he chose to stop and that everyone would support him. I hope everyone is proud of him, because he is the best football player ever to set foot on a pitch.”

Coach's Reflections on the Final

Despite the defeat, Scaloni attempted to prevent confrontations between Argentine and Spanish players at the end of the match and acknowledged Spain’s superiority. He said, “I feel sadness but knowing that we left everything out there. I have a lot of things to say about how we got here, but it’s not worth it.”

He added, “I want to thank these guys eternally for giving us another World Cup final and for competing until the end. They were better, that’s the truth. But I’ll hold on to an enormous memory of what they have done, of what it’s worth to get this far. We have to give it huge validity because it takes a lot to get here.”