Argentina’s World Cup campaign ended in disgrace and violence following their 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final held in New Jersey, with tempers flaring and punches exchanged after the final whistle.

Chaos erupted as Spain’s substitutes rushed onto the pitch to celebrate their victory. Amid the celebrations, Argentina defender Nahuel Molina appeared to swing a punch into the stomach of Spain captain Rodri as he sprinted past him.

Moments later, midfielder Leandro Paredes was involved in a scuffle, reportedly shoving Spain’s Eric Garcia by the throat before physically wrestling Spain’s young star Gavi to the ground. Paredes was seen grabbing Gavi by his substitute bib and pushing into his face as emotions boiled over.

As Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal and Rodri ran past Molina after the final whistle, the Argentina defender appeared to lash out at Rodri, causing the Spain captain to stop and confront him. The confrontation escalated when Molina bumped Rodri in the chest, prompting Garcia to intervene.

Paredes, who had already been booked during the match and was fortunate to avoid a second yellow card, then charged at Garcia and jabbed him in the throat. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni quickly stepped in, pointing and attempting to calm the situation as the melee intensified.

While Scaloni and members of the Argentina coaching staff tried to separate the players, Paredes redirected his aggression towards Spain’s 21-year-old midfielder Gavi, who was already locked in a tussle with Argentina’s Thiago Almada. Paredes spun Gavi to the ground and appeared to push his face while holding the bib tightly. Spain’s Borja Iglesias then rushed in to defend his teammate, colliding with Paredes in the process.

It was an unfortunate conclusion to Argentina’s emotional journey through the tournament. The team had been aiming to secure a second consecutive World Cup title for captain Lionel Messi, who was playing in his final World Cup appearance. However, the post-match chaos overshadowed Spain’s well-earned triumph.

“It’s a disgrace,” said Gary Neville on ITV. “I love the passion and competitiveness of the Argentines, fighting for every ball, and Messi has carried them, but the behaviour in the last few games has been disgraceful.”

BBC pundit Alan Shearer added, “Paredes threw two or three wild punches at someone’s face. There’s absolutely no place for that. We understand how much losing hurts, but there’s a right way to lose. We’ve seen this too often from Argentina — their reaction after the final whistle was unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was in tears as he stood before Argentina’s supporters after the defeat. The 39-year-old has yet to announce his future plans, but it is widely expected that this was his final World Cup appearance before retirement.

Spain dominated the final, clinching a 1-0 victory through Ferran Torres’ goal in extra time. Messi, despite his frustrations, had inspired Argentina throughout the knockout rounds with remarkable comebacks, leading them to their second consecutive final. He scored eight goals during the tournament, but it was Spain’s Rodri who was named Player of the Tournament.

Messi led his team to collect their runners-up medals before standing on the pitch, visibly emotional, as Argentina fans chanted his name. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will be 43 by the time the next men’s World Cup kicks off — set to be hosted across Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the opening match in Argentina.

After watching Spain lift the trophy, Messi quietly left the pitch, marking what appeared to be a bittersweet end to his illustrious World Cup career. By featuring in the 2026 final, Messi became just the third male footballer to appear in three World Cup finals, following Brazil’s Cafu.

Elsewhere, Argentina defender Cristian Romero made headlines for refusing to shake hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during the medal presentation. The 28-year-old Tottenham centre-back, who started alongside Lisandro Martinez but was substituted in the 70th minute, declined Trump’s handshake while accepting his medal. Romero did, however, shake hands with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who stood on either side of Trump during the ceremony.