New Delhi, 20 July (H.S.): Argentina’s Ambassador to India Mariano Caucino has expressed gratitude to Indian football fans for their overwhelming support to the Argentina team during the FIFA World Cup 2026, where the defending champions finished as runners-up after losing 0-1 to Spain in extra time in the final.

Caucino shared a post on social media platform ‘X’ on Monday, appreciating the growing support for Argentina among Indian fans throughout the tournament. He wrote, “A big thank you to the people of India for their continuous support to the Argentine team during this World Cup. India, once again, thank you!”

Following Argentina’s triumph in the 2022 FIFA World Cup under the leadership of Lionel Messi, the fan base for the team and Messi in India has witnessed significant growth. As a result, Indian supporters cheered for Argentina throughout the tournament and showed strong enthusiasm for the team.

Argentina entered the 2026 World Cup as the defending champions and reached the final for the second consecutive time. However, their dream of retaining the title ended at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Spain secured a 1-0 victory in extra time to win their second FIFA World Cup trophy after their 2010 triumph.

Spain’s Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute, sealing victory for his side. Spain dominated much of the match, creating several attacking opportunities, while Argentina struggled to break through Spain’s strong defensive line.

Although Argentina could not defend its title, the team’s achievement of reaching back-to-back World Cup finals was widely appreciated by football fans across the world, including in India.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar