The aftermath of the World Cup final has led FIFA to investigate Argentina’s conduct. Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, termed the incidents as “intolerable and unacceptable.” The investigation follows Spain’s 1-0 win in extra time against Argentina, dethroning the defending champions.
Incidents on the field included Argentina’s Leandro Paredes engaging physically with Spain’s Eric Garcia and Gavi. Spain’s captain, Rodri, was also targeted, receiving a hit to the stomach from Argentina’s Nahuel Molina. De la Fuente shared his disapproval on Spanish public broadcaster TVE, noting, “It cannot be allowed.” He expressed these sentiments after celebrating the victory.
De la Fuente had previously praised the Argentinian players and their coach, noting his disappointment in the behavior. FIFA has not disclosed details about the investigation or if they will interview Spain players and staff as witnesses. In a related development, Argentina’s assistant coach, Roberto Ayala, apologized for his physical altercation with Dani Olmo, clarifying it was a shove, not a punch.
The Spain coach commended his team’s calm response. In the TVE interview, De la Fuente noted, “Our players always kept their composure and behaved like true professionals.” Despite the tension, the Spain squad conducted themselves respectfully, forming a guard of honor for Argentina as they received their medals from U.S. President Donald Trump. However, when Rodri lifted the trophy, the majority of the Argentina squad did not participate in the ceremonial moment.
FIFA disciplinary rules empower a special prosecutor to initiate proceedings and suggest disciplinary actions on associations, clubs, and individuals. As of now, no details regarding the timeline or potential penalties for the involved Argentina players have been shared. The team does not have competitive matches scheduled soon.
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