Read for 2 minutes24 Jul 2026 06:35 PM IST
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said that The behavior of Argentina players after the final whistle of the FIFA World Cup final was “unbearable and unacceptable”. Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes got physical with Spain players Erik Garcia and Gavi while Spain captain Rodri suffered a stomach injury as he ran over Argentina defender Nahuel Molina to celebrate in a 1-0 win.
“This cannot be allowed. In any case, I find it intolerable and unacceptable from players of that calibre, whom I admired in earlier days and who have excellent coaches,” de la Fuente told Spanish public broadcaster TVE.
“I want to highlight our behavior in the face of such aggression and provocation,” the coach said. He added, “Our players always maintained their composure and behaved like true professionals.
Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala apologized for Wednesday’s clash with Dani Olmo, which he described as a shock, not a shock.
On Monday, FIFA launched an investigation after Spain’s celebrations for beating Argentina in the World Cup final took an ugly turn when players briefly clashed on the field.
FIFA said in a statement that “its Disciplinary Committee has appointed a Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor to investigate possible violations (of the FIFA Disciplinary Code) regarding post-match incidents.” The brief statement gave no timetable for the investigation and did not name Paredes, who could face a suspension even if he was not shown a red card after the game.
Spain needed extra time to win Sunday’s final 1-0 after Argentina were reduced to 10 men. Enzo Fernandes was sent off after 90 minutes with a second yellow card.
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Argentina’s players stood on the podium with their backs to their fans as the Spanish team lifted the trophy. It was an unusual show of disrespect for the new champions, who gave their opponents a guard of honor to collect their medals.