Enzo Fernandez: We Would Have Won the World Cup if It Went to Penalties

Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez spoke on the Los Edul podcast, reflecting on his and the team's campaign at the 2026 World Cup. The Manchester City playmaker also opened up about the immense sadness he felt following Lionel Messi's retirement from international football.

“Spain deserved to become world champions. However, had we reached a penalty shootout in the final, we would have lifted the trophy. We had Emiliano Martinez, and we all know he never fails when it comes to penalties. Dibu played the entire knockout stage with a broken finger. It is unbelievable how he managed to pull that off—he had lost all feeling in it. It was pure madness. But that is Dibu for you; he is an absolute beast. How would I rate my own World Cup display? A seven out of ten. I felt great in the opening match, was average in the second, but by the third game, things were not clicking. Football-wise, I was not at my best. Physically I felt fine initially since I had played so many Premier League games every three days, but as the tournament wore on, the physical fatigue caught up with me as well.

I am grateful to have experienced these moments, which will forever remain in the history of our national team. Naturally, there is disappointment because we fell short of retaining the title, but I appreciate everything the squad gave to take Argentina to yet another World Cup final. Of course, I blame myself for the red card in the final. No player ever wants to get sent off, especially in a World Cup final. It hurt deeply. Over time, I came to terms with the fact that it is simply part of football, but that red card remains a real thorn in my side. Which Argentina teammate would I bring to Manchester City? Cristian Romero—he is the best centre-back in the world. As for the Ballon d'Or, my votes would have gone to Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal.

Messi’s retirement? I remember turning on the television as a kid just to watch him play. It came as a huge shock when it dawned on me that he would no longer be with us. It caused me immense heartache. Ever since childhood, my dream was to share the pitch with Messi. I even remember calculating our age gap to see if it would ever be possible for us to play together one day. After everything we achieved together, having had the privilege of calling him a teammate and cherishing those moments by his side, I felt a deep sorrow knowing he would no longer be part of our squad. Our idol was not going to play with us anymore. That was incredibly tough to accept,” Fernandez shared.