The stadium fell silent. Argentina missed out on back-to-back titles after losing to Spain in extra time, and the pain had not yet subsided when Rodrigo De Paul picked up his phone.
On Instagram, he did not mince words: he accused people of having “fueled baseless conspiracies” against La Albiceleste throughout the World Cup, and ended with a phrase: “pain over the defeat, but pride in being Argentine”.
He was not the only one. Otamendi confronted several Spanish opponents over their statements before the final, and Messi broke his silence with a message of his own.
Meanwhile, De Paul, Enzo, Julián Álvarez, Rulli and Giuliano Simeone did not even return with the rest of the squad to Ezeiza.