The Spain coach, Luis de la Fuente, condemned the behavior of several members of the Argentine team after the 2026 World Cup final, ensuring that the incidents recorded at the end of the match are “intolerable” and “inadmissible.”
Spain won its second World Cup on Sunday by defeating Argentina 1-0, but the celebration was marred by an altercation between players from both teams once the match had concluded.
Among those named were defender Nahuel Molina and midfielder Leandro Paredes, who, along with other members of the Argentine coaching staff, participated in a confrontation with Spanish players while they celebrated the title.
“That cannot be allowed”
In an interview given to Spanish public television, De la Fuente explained that he did not directly witness the events because he was still celebrating winning the championship.
“At the time of those events I didn’t realize it. I was still celebrating with other people, hugging colleagues. It was a very quick thing,” he said.
However, once what happened was known, the coach was forceful.
“That is intolerable, inadmissible, that cannot be allowed. They are footballers of an enormous dimension, with a great coach, and I am sure that they also had a bad time seeing those reactions,” he declared.
Praise for Spain’s attitude
The world champion coach highlighted the response of his team, ensuring that they remained calm despite the provocations.
“Our players maintained their manners in the face of these attacks and provocations,” he said.
FIFA investigates the incidents
The events are already under review by FIFA, which opened an investigation to determine whether there were violations of the Disciplinary Code during the altercations after the 2026 World Cup final.
Football’s governing body will analyze the images and referee reports before deciding whether to impose sanctions on those involved.
