Fifa has officially launched an investigation into the straight-up ugly scenes that exploded after the World Cup final, confirming they’re not letting Argentina off the hook for that absolute mess. The disciplinary committee has already got a prosecutor on the case, ready to dig deep into what went down at MetLife Stadium after the final whistle. This isn’t just a slap on the wrist either; any player or coach caught up in that fracas could be looking at suspensions, and the entire Argentine Football Association (AFA) might get hit with a hefty fine.
The Final Whistle Fiasco That Ignited A Brawl
Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Spain clearly stung, but the reaction from Argentina’s squad and staff was just wild. As Spain’s players were celebrating their World Cup glory, several members of the Argentina team got into it. Names like Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, Thiago Almada, and even assistant coach Roberto Ayala all looked to be deep in the middle of it. Remember that initial report that Paredes got a red card for shoving Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat? Yeah, that red card got pulled from the record, with Fifa confirming no disciplinary action was taken *at the time*. But don’t let that fool you. Argentina already had Enzo Fernandez dismissed in second-half stoppage time after a second yellow, so tensions were already running high.
The real explosion happened right after the whistle. Spain’s Rodri, who had subbed off earlier, raced from the dugout to celebrate. As he ran past Molina, the Argentina defender appeared to punch Rodri in the arm or stomach. That was the spark. Rodri confronted Molina, who just aggressively thrust forward. Then Garcia came in to back up his teammate, and Paredes jumped into the fray, jabbing Garcia in the throat. Unused substitute Gavi tried to break it up, only to get forced to the ground by Almada! Paredes wasn’t done, pushing Gavi to the floor by hand-to-face. And then Ayala, Argentina’s assistant coach, looked like he was holding Garcia by the throat and appeared to strike Dani Olmo. It was pure chaos! Alan Shearer on BBC One was right there: “Paredes threw two or three haymakers into someone’s face. He went for them.” He added there’s “no place or space for that” and slammed it as a “terrible” reaction, something “too many times we have seen from Argentina.” Joe Hart didn’t mince words either: “Disgusting behaviour.” Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni tried to calm things and even played it down in his interview, saying, “We are gracious in victory, and we must be gracious in defeat.” But after watching that? Come on.
What’s Next For Argentina? Suspensions Are On The Table
With a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor now assigned, Fifa isn’t just looking at potential violent conduct. They’re going to scrutinize every single offence. This isn’t their first rodeo with Argentina recently either. They’d already started disciplinary action for those players holding a banner supporting Falkland Islands claims after their 2-1 semi-final win against England. Now, with the post-final meltdown, the stakes are sky-high.
What’s really on the line here? Beyond the potential fines for the AFA, key players and coaches could be looking at serious suspensions. This is a big deal, and Fifa’s not messing around. We’ll be watching closely to see what the disciplinary committee decides, but one thing’s for sure: Argentina’s players gave Fifa plenty to look at.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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