Rooney Backs Argentina’s World Cup Final Heartbreak as Spain Claim Glory
Traveloasisspot.com – Wayne Rooney has asserted that Enzo Fernandez and his Argentina teammates received exactly what they deserved following the tumultuous conclusion to the World Cup final. The dramatic encounter unfolded at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where chaos erupted immediately after the final whistle.
Spain ultimately secured their second world championship title, with Ferran Torres netting the decisive goal during extra time. The victory capped off an enthralling contest that had seen both sides battle to a 0-0 stalemate before Torres broke through to seal the triumph for La Roja.
Chaos Erupts at the Whistle
Ugly scenes materialized as referee Slavko Vincic brought the match to a close. While Spanish players were caught up in their celebrations, frustrated Argentinians allowed their emotions to overwhelm them. The tension had been building throughout the 120 minutes of play, and it finally boiled over.
The trouble began when Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, found himself squared up to by Argentine right-back Nahuel Molina. The confrontation quickly escalated as Leandro Paredes attempted to take swings at both Eric Garcia and Gavi. In one particularly nasty incident, Paredes wrestled the Spanish midfielder to the ground, grabbing him firmly by the shirt. The referee was quick to issue a straight red card to Paredes following the full-time whistle.
Argentina, who entered the final as defending champions, were already down to ten men after Chelsea midfielder Fernandez was sent off for a horrific challenge on Pau Cubarsi during second-half stoppage time. Fernandez had previously received a yellow card for dissent earlier in the match, compounding his team’s troubles.
Rooney’s Analysis of Argentina’s Response
Speaking in the BBC studio after the match, the former England striker suggested that Argentina’s post-match conduct was entirely predictable.
“We’ve seen it with Argentina before,” Rooney remarked. “It’s not the reaction you want. We saw it after knocking England out in the last round as well. Enzo Fernandez has got what he deserves. It’s disappointing. That’s just sad.”
Rooney continued his critique, emphasizing that players should exit the field promptly after a defeat.
“If you lose a game, get out of there. That’s just not good enough. It’s a reaction to them being outplayed, outfought, outthought. They resort to that at the end. It’s sad.”
Supporting Voices Join the Criticism
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart agreed with Rooney’s assessment, highlighting Lionel Messi as the sole exception among the Argentinians.
“There was one man on the pitch who did have class and it was Lionel Messi. He shook hands with every one of the Spanish players. The game is done. They can have absolutely no complaints about what happened today. Disgusting behaviour.”
Joe Hart also addressed Rodri’s involvement in the confrontation, noting that while the midfielder didn’t need to get in Argentina’s faces, he had been wound up for the entire duration of the match.
“Rodri didn’t need to get in their faces, but when you’ve been wound up for 120 minutes, and you’ve felt wronged with the referee on your back, you’ve got that win, the referee has blown his whistle, leave it.”
Micah Richards identified Paredes as a primary instigator of the disorder, pointing out that Argentina knew Spain were superior on the ball but attempted to disrupt them off it throughout the match.
“They know Spain are a better team on the ball, but what could they do to disrupt them off the ball? They were on the cusp every single time. Seeing that sort of stuff after the game has been played and someone has been crowned world champions is not good enough. It’s embarrassing. Paredes doesn’t need to do that. He’s better than that. He doesn’t stop there. He keeps going and going.”
Additional Storylines from the Final
Beyond the on-pitch drama, several other narratives emerged from the World Cup 2026 final. Kylian Mbappe has edged ahead of Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot award, adding another layer of intrigue to the tournament’s conclusion.
Meanwhile, the so-called “Drake curse” appears to be continuing, with the rapper suffering a £1.1 million loss on his bet as Spain claimed victory. The defeat adds to the list of sporting disappointments for the Canadian artist.
The final also provided an opportunity to reflect on why Messi had met Lamine Yamal as a baby, with amazing viral photos circulating ahead of the match. These images captured a touching moment between two generations of Argentine footballing greatness, symbolizing the passing of the torch in world football.
As the celebrations continued in New Jersey, the focus shifted toward the future for both nations. Spain will look to build on their triumph, while Argentina must regroup and address the concerns raised by their performance and conduct on the biggest stage of all.
