Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has left his post-match press conference in tears after his side’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.

The 48-year-old had the chance to become just the second manager in history to win back-to-back World Cup trophies after steering Argentina to their 2022 victory in Qatar.

But they never looked like winning in a final dominated by La Roja, who were unlucky not to score more than the extra-time winner that Ferran Torres put in the back of the net to secure the 1-0 victory at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Monday morning (AEST).

Scaloni has coached Argentina since 2018 but is due to come out of contract in December, and became emotional when asked about his future.

“I will talk to the president, but I more or less have an idea of what I would like to do.,” he said in Spanish.

“I will see out my contract and then see. Honestly, I feel the need to think because I don’t know if we’ll be able to do something as grand as this.

“We would need to talk. I am grateful to the president of AFA for giving me this opportunity. To be in a place that I am in, which is a dream for everyone.

“We tried until the last minute to give it our all, the coaching staff and players. I think it’s just that I take the time to think.”

Before he completely broke down in tears and left the press conference, Scaloni admitted it would be hard to get back to this point.

“This place is marvelous. To continue, we need a lot of things,” he added.

“We need to reset. We need to form a group like this one, which is difficult to form again. It hurts my soul. I’m sorry.”

Like his coach, Argentina superstar Lionel Messi could not hold back his emotion on the pitch after the final whistle and during the presentation ceremony.

Instead of Messi becoming a two-time champion, the crown was passed. He fought back tears and had a look of misery as he and teammates faced applauding and bowing Argentina fans at the stadium’s south end while Spanish stars lifted the trophy on a podium at the centre stripe.

After leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 final against France, sandwiched between consecutive Copa America championships, Messi could only bow his head, grimace and put hands on hips as Spain’s Lamine Yamal, less than a week past his 19th birthday and projected as the sport’s next big thing, ran to embrace Torres after the goal.

“I hope that everyone feels proud of him, of what he’s achieved because he’s the best football player ever stepping foot on a pitch,” Scaloni said of Messi.

Spain’s dominance was thorough in the final and throughout the World Cup as they extended their unbeaten streak to 38 games, the longest by a European team.

When Messi left European football for MLS three years ago after four Champions League medals and 12 league titles with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, some speculated he would be another retiree moving to Florida.

Instead, he led Argentina back to the final with eight goals and four assists and boosted his World Cup career total to 21 goals, the record until France’s Kylian Mbappé scored twice in Saturday’s third-place game to surpass him with 22.

Messi became the first player to start three World Cup finals and raised his international goals total to 125, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 146. He is now regularly mentioned in the same breath as Maradona and Pelé, himself a three-time World Cup champion.

With his distinctive slow walk, arms swinging at his side as he waited for the right moment to burst into a sprint, the diminutive attacker was the centre of attention any time he got the ball on the right flank. Opponents and fans waited for him to cut to the center and unleash a shot with his lethal left foot.

“The first idea was to keep Messi at bay,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said.

Half a dozen Spanish players walked over to Messi after the final whistle to hug and console him. Messi dropped to the grass, hands behind him, staring.

When Spain later formed a guard of honour for Argentina players to approach the podium for their second-place medals, Messi tried to smile but couldn’t. He had a blank look as he walked through and a few opponents patted him on the back and chest.

With AAP