In the recent World Cup final, Argentina’s esteemed football legacy faced criticism due to their controversial tactics during the 1-0 loss to Spain in New York. New footage has surfaced that heightens these concerns, showing Argentina seemingly trying to shield Enzo Fernandez from a red card after his tackle on Spain’s defender, Pau Cubarsi.
Event Context
Also Read: Leandro Paredes remains silent about a chaotic brawl during the World Cup final, while Lamine Yamal mocks him with a poster of Gavi.
In a decisive moment in the 106th minute, Spain secured their second World Cup title when substitute Ferran Torres scored the winning goal.
Following the final whistle, Argentina’s frustrations became evident. Nahuel Molina appeared to hit Spain’s captain Rodri in the torso during the celebrations, while Leandro Paredes confronted Eric Garcia, grabbing him by the throat and subsequently pushing Gavi to the ground, which led to a heated altercation between the two teams.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this from Argentina. It’s disappointing and reflects poorly on them. In football, it’s important to show grace when you lose. Their reactions stem from feeling outplayed. Enzo Fernandez got what he deserved.”
Player Focus
Just days after netting the crucial goal in Argentina’s 2-1 semifinal triumph over England, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez faced a challenging match at MetLife Stadium. In the game’s final moments, he received a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Cubarsi, resulting in a red card in the 93rd minute.
Immediately after the card was shown, Fernandez was seen protesting, shaking his head in disbelief. However, the nature of the challenge left little room for contention.
Footage also captured Lionel Messi rushing to referee Slavko Vincic right after the red card was issued, pointing toward the injured Tagliafico as if to implore the official to reconsider the situation. Although a stoppage for Tagliafico was unlikely to change the outcome, Argentina seemed hopeful it might lead the referee to review the context of Fernandez’s foul.
Ultimately, these efforts were in vain; Fernandez was sent off, leaving Argentina to navigate the match with only ten players.
Following the dismissal, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni first instructed Julian Alvarez to fall back to help mitigate the numerical deficit. However, as Spain began to dominate the game, Scaloni had no choice but to substitute in another defender, which left Messi increasingly isolated in the attacking front.
Former England defender Micah Richards criticized the aftermath of the match on the BBC, stating, “It’s embarrassing. They were on the cusp every single time. Witnessing that kind of behavior after the game is unacceptable, it really is embarrassing. Paredes is capable of more. Losing is part of the game, but this behavior isn’t acceptable.”
Wayne Rooney expressed that he was not surprised by Argentina’s actions during the game.
Team Analysis
A viral video circulating on social media captures Nicolas Tagliafico standing away from a recent incident, positioned near the Spanish penalty area with no opponents close by. Just moments after Fernandez’s challenge, Tagliafico unexpectedly grasped his ankle and collapsed to the ground, despite walking normally just seconds before.
