From Final Defeat to Full-Blown Crisis — Argentina Faces Multiple Punishments After Disgraceful Scenes
Argentina’s World Cup dream didn’t just end in heartbreak — it descended into absolute chaos. Hours after Spain lifted the trophy with a 1-0 extra-time victory at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA is now preparing to drop the hammer on the defending champions in what could be a squad-wide reckoning .
The nightmare began with the final whistle. But for Argentina, the real punishment is only just beginning.
Two Red Cards, One Disgraceful Meltdown
Argentina finished the final with ten men after Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off during normal time for picking up two yellow cards . That alone would have been bad enough. But the true disgrace came after the final whistle.
Leandro Paredes was shown a straight red card for kicking Spain defender Eric Garcia to the ground, placing his hand around Garcia’s throat during a heated confrontation, and then shoving young Gavi to the floor .
The reaction from football legends was brutal:
“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 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.” — Alan Shearer
Gary Neville didn’t hold back either:
“It’s a disgrace. 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.”
The Punishment That Could Cripple Argentina
Both Fernandez and Paredes will now serve suspensions. Fernandez’s two-yellow dismissal typically carries a one-match ban. But Paredes faces something far more severe .
Under FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, players sent off for violent conduct face suspensions of “at least three matches”. Assault-related misconduct — including “elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting at or hitting an opponent” — triggers a minimum three-match ban or an “appropriate period of time” .
With the World Cup now over, these suspensions will carry over to Argentina’s next competitive fixtures .
“Any suspension that cannot be served during the FIFA World Cup 26 will be carried over to the representative team’s next official match in accordance with the relevant provisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.” — FIFA rules
But That’s NOT All — The Falklands Banner Scandal
The final meltdown isn’t Argentina’s only problem. FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee is already investigating the team over a politically charged banner displayed after their semi-final win against England .
After that 2-1 victory in Atlanta, Argentina players held up a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” — “The Falkland Islands are Argentine” .
This appears to breach Article 34.3 of tournament regulations, which prohibits players from displaying political messages before, during, or after matches .
The incident has sparked outrage. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed calls for FIFA to investigate, with some even suggesting Argentina could be stripped of their final place — a move that would have reinstated England .
President Milei’s Defiant Response
Rather than de-escalate, Argentina’s controversial President Javier Milei doubled down :
“The Malvinas are Argentine. What the players did is understandable; emotion got the better of them. In the worst-case scenario, Argentina will face a £20,000 economic sanction from FIFA. We are going to recover the Malvinas, and we will do so through diplomatic means.”
FIFA previously fined Argentina’s football association £20,000 in 2014 for a similar banner display. But with the political climate now more intense, the sanctions could be far harsher.
22 Million Fans Demand Argentina Be KICKED OUT
The controversy has ignited a firestorm online. A petition on argentinaout.com has gathered over 22 million signatures calling for Argentina’s expulsion from the World Cup amid claims of referee favouritism .
“It is obvious that FIFA and the referees are biased toward Lionel Messi and Argentina. Why should the rest of the world compete when the winner has already been decided? Kick Argentina out of the World Cup and give everyone else a fair chance.” — Petition organisers
Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan had earlier accused FIFA of rigging matches after Argentina’s controversial 3-2 comeback win against Egypt: “This has clearly been rigged, and everyone has seen it. If they want them to win so badly, why are they inviting everyone to participate in the World Cup?”
