Spain’s historic FIFA World Cup triumph ended amid chaotic scenes after the final whistle, with Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes shown a straight red card after a nasty clash involving several players from both teams.Luis de la Fuente’s side defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium to lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal. But moments after the Spanish celebrations began, tensions rose in a mass clash that resulted in Paredes’ dismissal and left an otherwise memorable final overshadowed by controversy.
Tempers had already started to rise during the match
Although the final produced just one goal in 120 minutes, the contest was fiercely contested throughout.Argentina were already down to 10 men late in normal time when Enzo Fernández received his second yellow card after a reckless challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsí.
Referee Slavko Vincic of Slovenia shows a red card to Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez (24) during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
First in extra time, Lionel Messi he is also involved in an exchange with referee Slavko Vinčić, arguing that Marc Cucurella should be punished after appearing to speak while covering his mouth during an exchange on the pitch.Those incidents set the tone for an increasingly heated conclusion before emotions completely dissipated once the final whistle confirmed Spain as world champions.
Spain’s celebrations became the focus
As soon as Vinčić finished the game, the Spanish substitutes sprinted from the bench onto the pitch to celebrate with their teammates.According to reports, Argentina defender Nahuel Molina appeared to extend an arm towards Spain captain Rodri as the midfielder walked past him during the celebrations.Rodri immediately stopped and tackled Molina, with the two players exchanging words before Spanish defender Eric García stepped between them in an attempt to calm the situation.Instead, the confrontation escalated.Paredes rushed to the scene and allegedly grabbed García by the throat before pushing him as players from both teams converged on the incident.Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni arrived quickly and was seen trying to separate the players while gesturing for calm, but the confrontation continued to spread on the pitch.
Meeting with Gavi leads to a red card
With one confrontation developing, another is quickly developing nearby.Spanish midfielder Gavi had tangled with Argentina’s Thiago Almada when Paredes turned his attention to the young Spaniard.Television footage appeared to show Paredes wrestling Gavi to the ground before grabbing him by his substitute’s bib and shoving him in the face.
Players meet at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Many Spanish players immediately came to protect Gavi, while striker Borja Iglesias was among those who confronted the Argentine midfielder.Watching the sequence unfold, referee Vinčić had little hesitation.Paredes, who had already been booked during the match and had escaped before what many thought might be a second caution, was shown a straight red card after the final whistle for his involvement in the altercation.
Neville and Shearer condemned Argentina’s reaction
The scenes drew immediate criticism from television pundits covering the finale.Speaking on ITV, former England captain Gary Neville said: “It’s a shame.“I want to say that I was lucky not to be sent off during the game. I love the competitiveness of the Argentines and they deserve a lot of credit for what they did in this tournament. They are fighting and scrapping for their lives every game.“Even today, when they were overtaken by a great football team. Messi supported it at times and they are very competitive and I like that element of them.“But it’s just been unfortunate the last two games and why the referees have allowed him to keep doing what he’s doing.”BBC pundit Alan Shearer was equally critical after reviewing the footage.“Paredes threw two or three haymakers in someone’s face. He went for them,” Shearer said.“There is no place or space for it.“We know how much it means to them and we know how much it hurts to lose, but there is a way to lose. Too many times we have seen that from Argentina. The reaction after the final whistle is terrible.”
Bitter finale for Argentina’s title defense
The chaotic final brought a disappointing conclusion to Argentina’s bid to retain the World Cup.Lionel Scaloni’s side had battled through a demanding knockout campaign and reached a second successive World Cup final, but were second best against a Spanish side that dominated possession and eventually found the breakthrough in extra time through Ferran Torres.While Spain celebrated becoming world champions for the second time, Argentina’s players were left to reflect not only on the defeat but also on a poor finish which culminated in Paredes’ dismissal after the final whistle.For Lionel Messi, who was widely expected to make his final World Cup appearance, the evening ended with visible emotion as he applauded Argentina’s traveling supporters before collecting his finalist medal, while post-match chaos involving several teammates threatened to overshadow what had been another remarkable tournament for the defending champions.