As the Final Whistle Blows, Argentina Loses Both the Match and Their Composure with Fists Instead of Celebration

Mass Brawl Erupts After 1-0 Defeat to Spain
Victory Celebration Descends Into Chaos on the Pitch
Two Players Sent Off: Argentina Repeats 36-Year-Old Disgrace

After the final whistle, Argentina's players clashed with the Spanish team, engaging in rough words and aggressive actions rather than offering congratulations—leaving an unpleasant aftertaste to the match. The incident began when Leandro Paredes ran toward the Spanish players who were celebrating their victory. Paredes shoved Eric Garcia and Gavi, sparking a physical altercation, and was even caught throwing a punch. As players from both teams swarmed together, the pitch that had hosted the World Cup final quickly descended into chaos. The referee issued a red card to Paredes after the match ended.

The clash began when Leandro Paredes ran towards the Spanish players who were celebrating their victory. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

On July 20, at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Argentina lost 0-1 to Spain after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for North and Central America. Spain won their second World Cup title—16 years after their first in the 2010 South Africa tournament—thanks to a winning goal by Ferran Torres one minute into the second half of extra time. However, a mass brawl immediately after the final whistle temporarily halted Spain's victory celebration. Local media and football fans criticized Argentina for losing not only the trophy but also the dignity expected of the runner-up. Meanwhile, Nahuel Molina was also criticized after being captured clashing roughly with a Spanish player.

Paredes, at the center of the controversy, is known as one of the so-called 'Messi Bodyguards' of the Argentina national team alongside Rodrigo De Paul. Whenever an opponent player aggressively pressed Lionel Messi, he was the first to run over and confront them. SNS

Paredes, at the center of the controversy, is known as one of the so-called 'Messi Bodyguards' for the Argentina national team alongside Rodrigo De Paul. Whenever an opponent pressed Lionel Messi aggressively, he was the first to run over, and his intense pressing and tackles in front of the defensive line helped ease Messi's defensive burden. However, his fighting spirit frequently led to uncontrolled actions on the pitch.

Nowell Molina was also criticized after being caught in a rough collision with a Spanish player. SNS

A notable example was the quarterfinal match against the Netherlands at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. At that time, Paredes committed a rough foul against Nathan Ake before fiercely kicking the ball toward the Netherlands' bench. Furious Dutch players stormed onto the field, resulting in a large-scale collision. While he only received a yellow card back then, this time Paredes failed to control his emotions even after the match ended and was ultimately sent off.

Ultimately, Argentina, unable to overcome the numerical disadvantage, conceded the winning goal to Torres in the late extra time and failed in their attempt to win the tournament for the second consecutive time. Enzo and Paredes were recorded as the sixth and seventh players in history to receive red cards in a World Cup final, including being sent off immediately after the match ended. Reuters Yonhap News

Before Paredes, Enzo Fernandez had also been sent off with a red card and left the pitch. Already on a yellow card, Enzo launched a reckless tackle on Pau Cubarsi late in added time of the second half. The referee immediately showed him a second yellow, forcing Argentina to play the 30 minutes of extra time with only ten men.

In the end, Argentina, unable to overcome their numerical disadvantage, conceded the winning goal to Torres in the second half of extra time and failed in their attempt to retain the title. Enzo and Paredes became the sixth and seventh players in history to receive a red card in a World Cup final, counting those sent off immediately after the match concluded.

The previous players sent off in a World Cup final were Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti (Italy 1990), Marcel Desailly (France 1998), Zinedine Zidane (Germany 2006), and John Heitinga (South Africa 2010). This is the second time Argentina has had two players sent off in a single World Cup final; Monzon and Dezotti were also both ejected in the 1990 final against West Germany. In this year's final, the same ignominy was repeated 36 years later, and, of the seven players in history to have been sent off in a World Cup final, four have been from Argentina.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.