The AFA president to the Argentine people: "Don't be misled by lies, they were superior, they beat us fair and square..."

Claudio Tapia asks the national team fans to forget the conspiracy theories after the defeat in the World Cup final against Spain

The World Cup final will take a long time to forget. For some because of the unrestrained joy, and for others, the Argentinians, because of the hundreds of conspiracy theories that have erupted after Ferran Torres's goal and the defeat of the World Cup holders. External pressure, the FBI, threats to families... anything went to justify a defeat that on the field was obvious. All that was missing was to justify it with a secret alien invasion.

In such a situation, in Argentina conspiracy theories against the country spread like wildfire, the first to bring some common sense were Scaloni and Ayala. The coach and the assistant coach acknowledged Spain's superiority and put an end to the far-fetched explanations that had taken hold in the country.

The latest to speak out was Chiqui Tapia. The president of the AFA, who was even said to have been detained by the FBI, made his position very clear and appealed to the Argentine people: "Don't be misled by lies. They were superior, they beat us fair and square...", he said in a statement on social media that puts an end to the speculation once and for all.

Tapia's full statement

"We couldn't beat Spain. They were superior, they deservedly won, and we have to know how to acknowledge it. In sports, you also learn by accepting defeats with the same greatness with which victories are celebrated. Yes, we lost a final. But it is also true that this group had just given the country enormous joy. Argentina had celebrated one match earlier because this team once again showed why it means so much to our people. It hurts to lose. It hurts us because we are competitive, because we are the most successful team in history, and because second place never satisfies us. It hurts us because we are used to fighting until the end and because we remain one of the two best teams in the world. But let's stop the ball for a moment. Let's think about the sacrifice of these players, the coaching staff, and every person who worked for more than 50 days away from their families, with a single objective: to represent Argentina in the best possible way. We are Argentine. We compete with grit, with passion, and with heart. We give everything in every training session and in every match. We also represent all of America with enormous pride. We defend our colors, our flag, and our country on every field in the world. That is why, do not be misled by lies or by campaigns that only seek to destabilize. Enough of trying to turn against those who have given so much to our football. Today is a time to give thanks, to stand by, and to recognize these players who once again gave their all for the shirt. Smear campaigns pass. The commitment, the work, and the heart of our National Team remain forever. There are no excuses here. Here, football is played. And this National Team will continue to represent Argentina with the pride it always has."

Let's go Argentina.