Argentina president announces national holiday despite team’s World Cup final loss

Argentina’s president Javier Milei has announced a national holiday despite Lionel Scaloni’s team losing the World Cup final to Spain.

The exact date for the celebration to mark their runner-up finish was, he said, up to what the “players and coaching staff decide”.

Argentina lost the Sunday’s final 1-0 after a Ferran Torres strike in extra time broke the goalless deadlock. Scaloni’s team did not manage a shot on goal in normal time and, after Enzo Fernandez received a red card for a foul on Pau Cubarsi, they finished the game with 32 per cent possession.

Milei declared before the 2022 champions’ second final in as many tournaments that he would not attend, citing his strong superstitions. After the loss, however, he announced a celebratory holiday on his social media.

FESTEJO MUNDIAL
Dada la inquietud sobre los festejos por el logro alcanzado por la Selección Argentina, comunico a la población que, en función de lo que decidan los Jugadores y el Cuerpo Técnico respecto al día para celebrar, el mismo será declararado feriado nacional.

— Javier Milei (@JMilei) July 20, 2026

“In light of the concern regarding the celebrations to mark the Argentine national team’s achievement, I would like to inform the public that, depending on what the players and coaching staff decide regarding the date for the celebrations, that day will be declared a national holiday,” he said.

Argentina reached the final after topping their group and eliminating Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland and then England in the knockout stages. Captain Lionel Messi came runner-up to Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot standings with eight goals, in what could be the 39-year-old’s final World Cup.

He also surpassed the previous all-time record for goals in the tournament, before the France captain’s brace in the third-place play-off bested him.