‘Couldn’t be prouder’ – England icon David Beckham posts emotional tribute to Messi after Argentina lose World Cup final

DAVID BECKHAM has paid a heartwarming tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentine legend narrowly missed out on World Cup glory. Spain won the tournament for a second time thanks to notching a 1-0 victory after extra-time in a tense final. Lionel Messi was in tears following Argentina’s World Cup final defeat Credit: Getty David Beckham has shown his support on social media Credit: Shutterstock Editorial And Messi, 39, was also beaten to the Golden Boot by Kylian Mbappe despite bagging eight goals during the summer extravaganza. But Beckham has attempted to numb the pain by showering the Argentina skipper with praise. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The England icon has a strong relationship with Messi, after signing him for Inter Miami, and uploaded an emotional message onto Instagram Stories. Beckham, who was in the VIP seats for the final, wrote: “Our captain. We couldn’t be prouder.” READ MORE ON LIONEL MESSI Messi has also uploaded a statement onto social media following his World Cup heartbreak. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who was in tears after Argentina’s defeat, said: “The pain is immense and it will take time for this wound to heal. “But I also hold on to all the good… The matches we turned around, giving our all, matches that will forever remain in our memories, the support of an entire country that, together with the hard work and effort of this group, led us to be, once again, among the best in the world. “Today it’s hard to fully appreciate what we accomplished, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Messi has spoken out after missing out on World Cup glory Credit: AFP “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and every message. “Once again, we managed to unite as a country and be together, sharing the immense pride of being Argentinian. “I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship.” Argentina’s hopes of retaining the World Cup trophy took a huge hit when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off late in the second half. And Spain took advantage, with Ferran Torres bagging a 106th minute winner to spark wild celebrations. The defeat was too much for some members of the Argentina squad to handle, leading to Leandro Paredes being sent off following a mass brawl. Comment now