Piqué: Despite Losing the World Cup Final, Messi Is Proud of His Achievements

2026-07-28

During the King’s League World Club Cup, Piqué spoke to ESPN, reflecting on the performances of his former teammate Messi. He stated, “Losing the World Cup final was deeply painful. However, Messi once again proved himself to be the greatest player in history. He scored many goals for the national team, helping them reach the final. Even though they did not win the title, I believe he feels immense pride in what he has accomplished.”

Piqué addressed the rivalry between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: “For me, over the past 15 years, Messi and Ronaldo have showcased two different styles of brilliant competition. Although their careers are now in the final stages, we still saw them able to perform at a high level in this World Cup.”

Turning to the Spain national team, Piqué emphasized, “Spain performed remarkably well in the semi-final against France, and they deserved to win, proving they are one of the top teams in the world. Both sides have fantastic young talents; France boasts players like Mbappé and Dembélé, while Spain has equally impressive youngsters in Yamal, Pedri, and Kubo, who represent this new generation.”

He concluded by saying, “I hope the future becomes clearer. The France team is undergoing a managerial change, with Zidane seemingly set to take over, which will impact the next European Championship and World Cup.”