'Of course I'm sorry' - Argentina assistant explains how Dani Olmo confrontation went wrong in fiery World Cup final defeat to Spain

Following Argentina's 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in the final, Lionel Scaloni’s assistant Ayala - a 115-cap Argentina international and 2004 Olympic gold medalist - admitted his behavior was unbecoming after pushing Dani Olmo during post-match chaos. Speaking to Esports Migdia on Valencia Capital Radio, the former defender made no excuses, acknowledging his failure to maintain professional composure during a fiery conclusion to the tournament.

"Obviously, I am sorry. Given the position I hold, I cannot allow a feeling, or what I might receive from the other side, to change my mood and my actions. I am regretful; for me, these are things that stay there and that's it," Ayala confessed. He was quick to clarify that while the images looked aggressive, it was not as severe as some reports suggested, though he remains committed to making amends with the Spanish playmaker. "For me, we have to cut things short and leave it there. It was more of a push than anything else, it wasn't a punch as they want to claim, and it stayed there. It was a reaction to a remark, but that's it, if I see him, obviously I will apologize to him in person," he added.

Following a massive post-match brawl - triggered by a clash between Gavi and Leandro Paredes that escalated to punches involving Rodri and Nahuel Molina - Ayala attempted to intervene. The former Valencia centre-back, who won two La Liga titles, a UEFA Cup, and a European Super Cup with Valencia, stated that his initial intention was to defuse the rising tension, though the high intensity ultimately led to a loss of composure. "It's a shame, and one has to take responsibility for the facts and the things one has done on the pitch. When the match ends, what I see is that there is a brawl in the middle of the pitch, and we rushed to get our players so it would end that way because that's not who we are," the former Valencia man remarked.

Ayala took full responsibility for the incident, acknowledging that coaches must remain calm regardless of the provocation or the stakes of the game. "I take full responsibility for what I did. My intention was to go and separate, that was my intention, but sometimes you run into things that happen when your heart rate is through the roof, but that is no excuse. Given the position I hold, my behavior has to be different, no matter what I receive. Eric García was also there, and I simply told Eric that I came in only to separate people and to congratulate them, nothing more," the assistant coach explained during the candid interview.

Despite Argentina's loss - where they managed just two shots compared to Spain's 20 - Ayala conceded that Luis de la Fuente’s side were superior. "They were superior and deserving winners of the World Cup. That was my wish and my intention. For me, it stays there; what happened on the pitch stays on the pitch. Spain was better and won a World Cup playing very beautiful football that many people enjoy," he admitted.

However, Ayala did express frustration with the narrative surrounding the Argentina national team, suggesting there is often a negative bias against them. "It has happened thousands of times, but I don't know why lately, and even more so with our national team - I don't know if it's a campaign or something - there was a certain 'animosity' wishing that our team wouldn't do well, that we play a different kind of football... It's the football we feel, we play to bring joy to our people. They look for things to make everything negative towards Argentina. There are thousands of gestures with Spanish players that they don't show, and there needs to be real journalism," he stated.

One of the major criticisms following the final was the image of the Argentine squad appearing to turn their backs during the trophy presentation. Ayala clarified that this was a misunderstanding related to family concerns and logistics rather than a sign of disrespect. "We were right there, very close to the Spanish players while they were celebrating, waiting for them to set up the stage so they could receive the Cup. Some family members had issues in the stands, so we went to check that everything was fine and stayed on that side with our people. It was a way to thank them, as they made a huge sacrifice far from home. We had our backs turned, but we had the screen in front of us, and several of us turned around to watch that moment; we saw it, we were there, and that's all there is to it. It was not out of spite," he clarified.