Disgrace for Argentina as Leandro Paredes sparks violent brawl and sees red in World Cup final defeat to Spain

The 2026 World Cup final ended in ugly scenes as Argentina's defeat to Spain descended into a mass confrontation after the final whistle at MetLife Stadium. While La Roja's substitutes ran onto the pitch to celebrate, tensions boiled over among the beaten champions.

Paredes became the central figure in the melee and was shown a red card for his part in the incident. The Boca Juniors midfielder's actions sparked a melee involving players and coaching staff from both teams in front of the technical areas.

Images from the scene captured Paredes aggressively shoving Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat, a move that floored the defender and ignited the fuse for the wider scuffle. Not content with that, the midfielder then wrestled Barcelona starlet Gavi to the turf, pushing into his face before appearing to lash out with his feet.

The disciplinary issues did not start and end at the final whistle, however. Argentina were already playing with a disadvantage after Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card during the closing stages of regulation time. The double dismissal capped a miserable night for Lionel Scaloni’s side, who failed to give Lionel Messi the fairytale ending his legendary career deserved.

The aftermath prompted strong criticism from television pundits, who questioned Argentina's behaviour after the final whistle. Speaking during ITV's coverage, former Manchester United captain Gary Neville offered a blunt verdict on the scenes.

"It's a disgrace," Neville said. "I love the competitiveness of the Argentines, fighting and scrapping for their lives, Messi has propped them up, but it’s been a disgrace the last few games."

Alan Shearer also criticised Paredes' actions while analysing the incidents on BBC, saying: "Paredes threw two or three haymakers into someone's face. He went for them. There is no place or space for that. We know how much it means to them and we know how much it hurts to lose, but there is a way to lose. Too many times we have seen that from Argentina. The reaction after the final whistle is terrible."

Spain can now celebrate a historic World Cup triumph, but Argentina are left to reflect on a disappointing end to their title defence. The final also appeared to mark Messi's last World Cup appearance, with chaotic scenes denying the tournament a proper conclusion and leaving the Albiceleste facing further scrutiny for their conduct.