Argentina players decided to turn their backs to Spain’s World Cup trophy lift in a bitter reaction to losing 1-0 in the final on Sunday.
The 2026 runners-up collected their silver medals from FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump on the stage at the MetLife Stadium before the winners collected the ultimate prize.
The Argentina players, coaching team and staff walked over to the end where the majority of their fans were located and decided not to watch their rivals celebrate their title.
Footage shows Spain players holding the World Cup trophy aloft as gold confetti explodes behind them, with the Argentina team facing the other way.
The scenes came after the final descended into violence following Ferran Torres’s extra-time winner in New Jersey.
Argentina players decided to turn their backs to Spain’s World Cup trophy lift on Sunday
The move came after ugly scenes at the end of the game which Spain won 1-0 after extra time
After the final whistle, fights broke out between the two teams. Some of Argentina’s players lost their heads as Spain’s substitutes and staff ran on to the pitch to celebrate their victory.
Torres scored a 106th-minute winner after Enzo Fernandez had been sent off in the 93rd minute for a desperately poor Argentina side.
At full time, Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes was sent off for punching Eric Garcia and pushing Gavi to the ground.
Argentina’s Nahuel Molina also punched Rodri in the torso as he was running by, while Thiago Almada was involved, too.
Argentina were thuggish throughout the World Cup final, just as they had been when they beat England in the semis.
Fernandez complained against his dismissal for a second yellow but his late foul on Pau Cubarsi, which sent the defender flying, was poorly timed.
Paredes was also fortunate to not be sent off for a second bookable offence in regular time for a foul on the edge of the box which presented Lamine Yamal with a last-gasp free-kick before extra-time.
Argentina only had two shots in the entire match, and the first of those came in the 117th minute.
