Luis de la Fuente Condemns Argentina's Conduct After World Cup Final
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has condemned what he called the “unacceptable” conduct of several Argentina players and members of their coaching staff after the World Cup final in New York.
Spain edged a tense final 1-0 after extra time last Sunday, but the tension did not end with the final whistle. Footage from the pitch showed Argentina players and staff confronting their Spanish counterparts in the immediate aftermath of the defeat, turning a night of glory for Spain into an ugly postscript.
Among those involved were Atletico Madrid defender Nahuel Molina and former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes, both seen in the thick of the flashpoints that quickly circulated on social media.
De la Fuente admitted he did not grasp the scale of what was happening in real time.
“At the time, I didn't realize it. I was celebrating, hugging teammates,” he told Spanish television.
Only later, after watching the images back, did his tone harden.
“In any case, it is intolerable, unacceptable, it cannot be allowed,” he said. “Players of that stature, whom I praised in the days leading up to the match and continue to praise, who are great players with a tremendous coach, surely they must have felt just as bad as we did seeing those reactions.”
The Spain coach highlighted what he described as “acts of aggression” and “provocations” coming from sections of the Argentina camp, and stressed that the situation could have spiralled into something far more serious had his own squad not kept their composure. He reserved particular praise for his players’ restraint in the face of the confrontations, holding them up as an example of how to handle the white heat of a World Cup final.
The incidents, captured clearly on camera and shared widely online, have so far brought no formal sanctions for the Argentina players involved. The images, though, have already left a mark on the narrative of a final that should have been remembered solely for Spain’s triumph.
FIFA has now opened an investigation to determine whether Argentina’s conduct breached its disciplinary code. The governing body will sift through the footage and reports. The next move belongs to them.
