“Keep Your Heads High”: Messi’s Message to Argentina’s Youth After U-20 Final Defeat

Morocco made history by winning their first-ever FIFA U-20 World Cup, stunning South American powerhouse Argentina with a 2–0 victory in the final held early Monday at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Santiago, Chile.

For Argentina, it was their first U-20 World Cup final since 2007, offering a chance to end an 18-year drought. Having won six consecutive matches to reach the final, Lionel Messi’s protégés were considered favourites for the title. Despite controlling 76% of possession and taking 20 shots, Argentina failed to find the back of the net. Each time the ball came to them, Morocco’s disciplined and high-pressure defence thwarted their attacks.

After the defeat, Lionel Messi addressed the young Argentine squad through his Instagram page, sharing a message of support and encouragement: “Keep your heads high, boys! You played an incredible tournament. Although we all hoped you would lift the trophy, we are proud of your outstanding achievements and the way you gave your hearts for the blue and white jersey.”

Argentina’s U-20 coach also reflected on the team’s performance after the final: “Today’s situation was different from our previous World Cup matches. We could not fully show our strength. We couldn’t recover or score a goal.”

Despite the disappointment, the coach credited Morocco’s deserving victory: “The win was theirs. They were physically very strong. Some of our players couldn’t perform at their best, which made the match difficult for us.”

Argentina’s young team had delivered impressive performances throughout the tournament, showing skill, composure, and teamwork to reach the final. However, Morocco’s historic win highlighted the increasing strength of African nations in youth football and marked a milestone moment for Moroccan football on the world stage.

This final serves as both a heartbreak and a lesson for Argentina’s youth, underscoring the importance of resilience, teamwork, and learning from international competition at the highest level.