Argentina stars throw punches in ‘disgusting’ scenes after Spain win World Cup final | Football | Sport
The World Cup final exploded into ‘disgusting’ scenes just seconds after Spain beat Argentina 1-0. The two sets of players clashed on the pitch as Spain celebrated winning the World Cup. Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute winner settled a tense contest in New Jersey that extended into extra time. Alan Shearer, commentating on the match for the BBC, noticed Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes front and centre in the fracas, allegedly throwing punches on the pitch immediately after the full-time whistle.
Paredes was sent off after full-time following a melee with unused substitute Gavi and Eric Garcia. While Argentina defender Nahuel Molina also appeared to throw jabs at Rodri. And Shearer said: “I think I saw him swing at least two or three haymakers into someone’s face, he actually went for them. Honestly there is no place or space for that. We know how much it means to them. We know how much it hurts when you lose but there’s a way to lose and too many times we’ve seen that reaction from them, trying to win free-kicks, trying to buy them. The reaction after the final whistle is terrible.
“No doubt, the best team has won. They deserve it. They controlled possession and were the ones looking to play the football and create chances and run in behind. It’s a result for football because the way Spain have played, they deserve it.”
England legend Wayne Rooney said: “Does it surprise you? It doesn’t surprise me, we’ve seen this with Argentina before. It’s just not the reaction you want. You saw it after knocking England out in the last round as well.
“Enzo Fernandez has got what he deserved as well. It’s disappointing. That’s just sad. If you lose a game of football, be graceful and get out of there. It’s really poor from them. It’s a reaction to them being outplayed, outfought and outthought on the pitch. They resort to that at the end, it’s sad, it’s poor.”
While former team-mate Joe Hart reacted: “It’s disgusting. There was one man on the pitch who did have class, that was Lionel Messi, who shook hands with every one of those Spanish players. The game is done. They can have absolutely no complaints about what happened today.
“Disgusting behaviour. Rodri I don’t think needed to get in their faces but when you’ve been wound up for 120 minutes, and you felt you’ve been wronged and the referee is on your back… But the referee has blown his whistle, leave it. I think Argentina, are you surprised they’ve gone over the line again?”
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Micah Richards added: “Joe hit the nail on the head. It’s quite embarrassing really because for all I gave them that praise in terms of how they approach the game, what can they do to disrupt Spain off the ball? They were on the cusp every single time.
“Seeing that sort of stuff after the game has been played, it’s not good enough. It’s embarrassing to be honest. Paredes there, he doesn’t need to do that.
“He’s better than that and he doesn’t stop there, he keeps going and going and going. We all know what it’s like to lose a game but it’s not good enough.”
On ITV, Gary Neville said of the ugly scenes: “I love the competitiveness of the Argentines but Paredes has been a disgrace the last couple of games.”
Spain are now European and world champions simultaneously after winning Euro 2024, beating England 2-1 in the final in Berlin two years ago.
