FIFA confirms that Leandro Paredes’ red card from the World Cup final has been removed
FIFA had to remove a big mistake from their commentator system after Spain beat Argentina in the World Cup final. Spain, also known as La Roja, won their second world title thanks to Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal in extra time in New Jersey.
Argentina finished the match with just 10 players after Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea got two quick yellow cards and was sent off. After the game, it seemed like Argentina had lost another player when Leandro Paredes lost his temper and attacked two Spanish players. Paredes, who came on as a substitute and was already warned by the referee, pushed and kicked Eric Garcia from Barcelona, even grabbing him by the throat. He then swung punches at Gavi and threw him down before others from both teams rushed in.
Many thought Paredes got a red card after the final whistle, but it turns out that wasn’t true. As BBC’s Dale Johnson explained, FIFA’s system mistakenly showed Paredes as sent off, but that info was removed since no official card was given.
The chaos didn’t stop there. Video showed Nahuel Molina hitting Spain’s Rodri while running to celebrate, which seemed to start the trouble. Argentina’s assistant coach Roberto Ayala was also seen hitting Spain’s Dani Olmo.
FIFA is now investigating the fight. They’ve assigned a disciplinary expert to look into what happened. Those involved could face penalties, and Argentina’s football association might even have to pay a fine. The expert will see if Argentina broke rules about good behavior or damaged football’s reputation.
If anyone is found guilty of violent actions like punching or kicking, they could be banned for at least three national team matches. Former England player Joe Hart called Argentina’s behavior “disgusting,” and Alan Shearer said their reaction after the final whistle was “terrible.”
Argentina also faces questions over a banner they showed after beating England in the semifinals. The banner said, “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” meaning “The Falklands are Argentine.” This is a sensitive topic since the Falkland Islands are British, but Argentina claims them.
After all the drama, Argentina’s players did calm down and received a guard of honor as they got their silver medals. But when Spain captain Rodri lifted the Cup, the Argentine players turned their backs on the celebration, facing their fans instead. This lack of sportsmanship upset many, including England legend Stuart Pearce.
He said on talkSPORT, “When Spain lifted the trophy, the Argentinians all stood with their back to it. That says a lot, doesn’t it?” Co-host Adrian Durham agreed, calling Argentina a “total embarrassment” for their poor behavior during the tournament. He added that while the fans sang Messi’s name and cheered, the players showed “no class whatsoever.”