Argentina’s FIFA World Cup final defeat to Spain has come under renewed scrutiny after new footage surfaced on social media appearing to show an attempt to influence the aftermath of Enzo Fernandez’s decisive red card. Lionel Scaloni’s side lost 1-0 after extra time at 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 post-match discussion has centred on Argentina’s conduct during and after the final. The latest clip focuses on the incident that saw Fernandez dismissed in second-half stoppage time. Just days after netting the winner against England in the semi-finals, the Chelsea midfielder endured a frustrating evening, 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 over the referee’s call. Fresh 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 clutching his ankle and falling to the ground moments after Fernandez committed the foul. Seconds earlier, Tagliafico had been walking normally, with no Spain player in close proximity. The same footage also captures Lionel Messi rushing towards referee Slavko Vincic immediately after the red card was shown. The Argentina captain pointed towards the grounded Tagliafico, seemingly attempting to draw the referee’s attention to the incident. Although any stoppage for Tagliafico would have had little bearing on the outcome, Argentina appeared hopeful it might prompt officials to revisit the sequence that led to Fernandez’s dismissal. The effort had no effect, with Fernandez’s red card standing and Argentina forced to see out the remainder of the match with 10 players. 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, the Argentina coach eventually introduced an additional defender, leaving Messi increasingly isolated 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 triumph. Tempers flared once the final whistle blew. Nahuel Molina appeared to strike 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 behaviour after the defeat. “It’s embarrassing. They were on the cusp every single time. Seeing that sort of stuff after the game was played, it’s not good, it’s embarrassing to be honest. Paredes is better than that. We all know what it’s like to lose a game but this is not good enough.” Former England captain Wayne Rooney also criticised Argentina’s reaction, saying the conduct reflected frustration after being second best on the night. “We’ve seen this from Argentina before. It’s just sad, very poor from them. If you lose a game of football, be graceful. It’s a reaction to them being outplayed. Enzo Fernandez has got what he deserves.”
