Paredes red card, post-match brawl mar Argentina's World Cup final loss

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. The scoreline told only part of the story.

Social media erupted after a post-match clash between Argentina defender Leandro Paredes and Spain's Eric Garcia and Gabi. Paredes received a red card. The fight started moments after the final whistle, with Argentina's Nahuel Molina striking a Spanish player who was rushing to celebrate. Fury had already boiled over in stoppage time.

Enzo Fernandez, already on a yellow card, lunged recklessly at Pau Cubarsí. The referee sent him off. Argentina's hero from the semifinal against England stormed off the pitch and violently kicked a broadcast microphone.

Fernandez and Paredes became the sixth and seventh players ever sent off in a World Cup final. The list includes Argentina's Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti from 1990, France's Marcel Desailly and Zinedine Zidane, and Netherlands' Johnny Heitinga. Four of the seven dismissed players are Argentine. Argentina also had two players sent off in the 1990 final against West Germany. History repeated itself 36 years later.

British journalist Lewis Mackenzie wrote: "Argentina should hang their heads in shame. Insufferable in victory against England and pathetic in defeat against Spain. Billions are watching and you chose to start a fight and disgrace your nation. Do better."

Piers Morgan, a longtime critic of Lionel Messi, posted: "Disgusting behaviour by the Argentinians at the end, especially Paredes. Just a bunch of nasty, violent thugs, and a disgrace to football. Never been so happy to see a team lose."

British presenter Alex Armstrong wrote: "Nobody deserves to lose this World Cup more than Argentina. The dirtiest, nastiest team in the tournament. Pathetic. Class from Spain, the whole world has been behind you."

"Argentina players are showing zero class. Disgusting," wrote a Cristiano Ronaldo fan.

Italian broadcaster Tancredi Palmeri said: "Argentina not only lost the final. First time ever I've seen a team ruin the winners' celebration. Shame on Argentina."

One user commented: "Billions of people watching around the world, and Argentina decided to start FIGHTING after the final whistle. Behaving like this at a World Cup Final, absolutely terrible. They should be ashamed of themselves."

"The scenes after the final whistle of a final are supposed to be about pure emotions, not this. Argentina have genuinely ruined this sport," another user wrote.

Not everyone aimed criticism at the team. Messi's performance drew sharp words from broadcaster Terry Flewers: "Lionel Messi has just dropped the worst World Cup final performance from any captain, for any nation, ever. No influence, no leadership, no threat and no response when Argentina needed him most. A complete disappearance on the biggest stage."

"This team will stink without Messi. Enjoy never winning a World Cup again, I am going to love every second out of it," another user wrote.

Some defended the captain. "Thank you for everything. Dropping one of the best World Cup campaigns at the age of 39. Greatest sportsman of all time. Greatest player in the history of the sport," one supporter wrote.

"Messi's tears break me; they destroy me. His image appears on the screen, and everyone immediately gives him a standing ovation. You'll never walk alone, captain. Argentina loves you," another user wrote.

Argentina finished the match with ten men after Fernandez's second yellow card. That limited their attack and allowed Spain to take control in extra time, leading to the winner. The red cards and post-match brawl left a stain on a tournament that Messi had carried with a brilliant campaign through the knockout stages.