‘It’s embarrassing’: Argentina’s World Cup final under fresh scrutiny after viral clip emerges | Football News

Argentina players protest after Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez (24) was shown a red card (AP Photo)

in Argentina FIFA World Cup Spain’s final defeat has come under fresh scrutiny after new footage emerged on social media showing an attempt to influence the outcome of Enzo Fernandez’s decisive red card. Lionel Scaloni’s side lost 1-0 after extra time at the New York New Jersey Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute to hand Spain their second World Cup title. However, much of the discussion after the match centered on Argentina’s behavior during and after the final. The latest clip focuses on the incident that saw Fernandez dismissed in stoppage time in the second half. Just days after scoring the winner against England in the semi-finals, the Chelsea midfielder endured a frustrating night, receiving a second yellow card in the 93rd minute following a late challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi. Fernandez immediately protested the decision, but replays showed the tackle left little doubt in the referee’s call. New footage circulating online has added another layer to the controversy. The video appears to show Argentina full-back Nicolas Tagliafico standing unchallenged near Spain’s penalty area before suddenly grabbing his ankle and falling to the ground moments after Fernandez committed the foul. Seconds earlier, Tagliafico was walking normally, with no Spain player nearby. The same footage was also captured Lionel Messi rushed to the referee Slavko Vincic immediately after the red card was shown. The Argentina captain pointed to the grounded Tagliafico, as if trying to draw the referee’s attention to the incident. Although any suspension for Tagliafico would have no impact on the outcome, Argentina appeared hopeful it could prompt officials to re-examine the sequence of events that led to Fernandez’s dismissal. The effort had no effect, with Fernandez’s red card standing and Argentina forced to see out the rest of the game with 10 men. Scaloni initially reshuffled his side by asking Julian Alvarez to drop deeper and help cover the numerical disadvantage. As Spain continued to dominate possession and territory, Argentina’s coach eventually introduced an extra defender, leaving Messi more alone in attack. Spain’s pressure was rewarded early in extra time when substitute Ferran Torres found the net in the 106th minute, sealing a historic World Cup win. Tempers flared as the final whistle blew. Nahuel Molina appeared to punch Spain captain Rodri in the torso during the celebrations, while Leandro Paredes grabbed Eric Garcia by the throat before pushing Gavi to the ground, sparking a heated confrontation involving players from both teams. The ugly scenes drew strong criticism from former England defender Micah Richards, who questioned Argentina’s behavior after the defeat. “It’s embarrassing. They’re on the cusp every time. To see things like that after the game, it’s not good, it’s embarrassing to be honest. Former England captain Wayne Rooney also criticized Argentina’s reaction, saying that the behavior showed frustration after being the second best of the night. “We’ve seen it from Argentina before. It’s just sad, very poor from them. If you lose a football game, be kind. It’s a reaction to their defeat. Enzo Fernandez got what he deserved.”