Spain’s national coach, Luis de la Fuente, has condemned the “intolerable, unacceptable” actions of Argentina’s players following the conclusion of the World Cup final on Sunday.
Post-Match Confrontation
Nahuel Molina and Leandro Paredes were prominently involved, confronting Rodri and Eric García while Spain’s players celebrated their victory at New York New Jersey Stadium, marking the country’s second World Cup win. Paredes also approached Spain’s Gavi during the incident.
“At the time, I didn’t realise it. I was celebrating, hugging teammates,”
De la Fuente shared with Spanish television. “But in any case, it is intolerable, unacceptable, it cannot be allowed. Players of that stature, whom I praised in the days leading up to the match and continue to praise, who are great players with a tremendous coach, surely they must have felt just as bad as we did seeing those reactions.”
He went on to commend the exemplary conduct of his own squad in the face of these “acts of aggression” and “provocations,” which he believes had the potential to escalate into more severe confrontations.
FIFA Investigation Underway
Despite the widespread sharing of the footage on social media, no disciplinary actions have been taken against the Argentine players thus far. FIFA has initiated an investigation into the events to assess if any violations of its disciplinary code occurred.
