Lionel Messi has spoken for the first time since Argentina’s World Cup final defeat, saying the loss left him deeply hurt and that only time will heal the pain. I discuss his comments and what they could mean going forward.

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Before we get into the transfer news, I want to say one last thing about the World Cup final. I’ve heard all the criticism and all the talk about the shenanigans around Argentina. But if we only talk about the game, Spain deserved to win. Argentina was almost missing on the field, and Spain controlled the pitch for most of the match. Honestly, this was probably the worst game I saw Argentina play in the whole tournament. It is surprising that Argentina made it all the way to the final playing like that. After Spain won, there were also more ugly moments, including Paredes going after Spanish players. That should not have happened. We all saw it. At the end of the day, I truly believe, like many of you, that Spain deserved to win the World Cup.

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Note: Not every story in today’s update is a completed transfer. Some are confirmed player updates, while others are deals that are close but not official yet. I’ll continue to separate confirmed transfers from rumors and ongoing negotiations so you know exactly where each story stands.

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Note: I recorded my first reaction at halftime. After the match ended, I had to record this update because the second half completely changed the story.

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France did not look like itself tonight. England showed up. France did not. What a terrible way to end the World Cup.

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The White House is now commenting on the Argentina vs. England controversy. But the real question is simple: will FIFA enforce its own rules?

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