Argentina players involved in post-match brawl with Spain after final defeat
Following their defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, several Argentina players were involved in a post-match brawl. The incident occurred moments after the final whistle, with midfielder Leandro Paredes receiving a red card for his role in the altercation. The match saw Spain secure a 1-0 victory in extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.
The confrontation began when Rodri of Spain approached Argentina full-back Nahuel Molina, leading to a physical exchange. Eric Garcia intervened, pushing Molina away. Paredes then became involved, pushing Garcia by the neck. The situation escalated further when Paredes, along with Thiago Almada, wrestled Spain‘s Gavi to the ground, with punches reportedly thrown before players and staff from both sides separated them.
This behaviour capped a contentious match for Argentina, which also saw Enzo Fernandez dismissed at the end of normal time for a second bookable offence. The team failed to register a shot on target throughout the entire match, while Spain recorded 12. This marked the second consecutive final where the defending champions lost, and Spain claimed their second World Cup trophy.
Post-match reactions and condemnations
Pundits were quick to condemn the post-match scenes, describing the behaviour as predictable and disappointing. Former England striker Wayne Rooney stated that he was not surprised by Argentina‘s actions, citing previous incidents. He emphasised the importance of grace in defeat, calling the behaviour “very poor.”
Alan Shearer echoed these sentiments, stating there was “no place or space for that” and noting that Paredes appeared to throw punches. He also highlighted that “the best team has won from start to finish.”
Joe Hart, another pundit, labelled the antics “disgusting behaviour.” He acknowledged that Lionel Messi was the only player on the pitch who displayed class, shaking hands with the Spanish players. Hart suggested that while Rodri may have provoked some reaction, Argentina had no complaints about the match’s outcome.
Micah Richards singled out Paredes as a primary instigator, calling his actions “embarrassing.” He suggested that Paredes, who had already received a yellow card earlier in the match, continued to escalate the situation. Gary Neville also described Argentina‘s performance in their recent games, including the final, as a “disgrace.”
Messi’s final World Cup appearance
Lionel Messi, who was absent from the brawl, was seen shaking hands with the newly crowned world champions before sitting dejected on the pitch at MetLife Stadium. This appearance is likely to be Messi‘s last on the World Cup stage, as he will be 43 by the time the next tournament takes place.
Messi had inspired several comebacks in the knockout stages, leading Argentina to their second consecutive final. Despite his efforts, Spain were deemed deserved winners. Messi scored eight goals in the tournament, and fans chanted his name as Rodri collected the player of the tournament award.
After collecting their runners-up medals, Messi was observed crying while watching Argentina fans. He waited until Spain lifted the trophy before quickly leaving the pitch, marking a potentially bitter end to his World Cup journey. By playing in the final, Messi became only the third player to appear in three men’s World Cup finals.
In another notable moment during the medal ceremony, Argentina centre-back Cristian Romero reportedly did not shake hands with Donald Trump, who was presenting the medals. Romero, who was substituted in the 70th minute, shook hands with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum but bypassed Trump.
The World Cup final concluded with Spain‘s 1-0 victory after extra time, 16 years after their first triumph in 2010.
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Source: tntsports.co.uk
As NewsUK's Senior Football Correspondent, Thomas Beckwith reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on three World Cups for a national news agency. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Thomas lives in Sheffield, where he watches lower-league football most weekends. “Football writing is about the decisions, not just the result.”
