The aftermath of Spain’s 1–0 World Cup final victory over Argentina at the New York-New Jersey Stadium was marred by unsavory post-match scenes.
Altercations erupted on the pitch following the final whistle, prompting former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee Keith Hackett to call for historic retrospective disciplinary action against Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes.
Look at this thug.
— Red Army 68'
Leandro Paredes should be banned for a long time.
Can’t handle his team produced the worse World Cup final performance in history.
What a sore loser pic.twitter.com/AFp7ToQMmm(@MUFC_RA) July 19, 2026
Tensions Boil Over After Final Whistle
Tensions boiled over when referee Slavko Vinčić blew the final whistle, crowning Luis de la Fuente’s Spain champions. Tempers had already flared late in extra time following Enzo Fernández’s second yellow card.
The situation deteriorated further at the whistle: Nahuel Molina struck Rodri as he raced across the pitch to celebrate. Rodri then confronted Molina before Eric Garcia and Gavi got involved.
As the Spain players descended on Molina, Paredes rushed to the defense of his teammate and lashed out at both García and Gavi.
Referee Vinčić issued a post-match red card to Paredes as security and staff attempted to separate the opposing players.
Calls For Lengthy Ban For Paredes
Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett pulled no punches regarding Paredes’ conduct:
“Absolutely. I think this should be a minimum ten-game ban,” Hackett said. “This is the world stage. It was appalling. It was disgraceful, unacceptable.”
“I didn’t know at the time that a red card had been issued. I’m pleased to learn that that is the case. At least the referee did his job.”
“FIFA will be very unhappy with the images that beamed across. Let’s face it, it wasn’t a great World Cup final. It didn’t meet our expectations. A lot of it was boring, the tactics were unacceptable, the beautiful game was lost, and the ending to the story of this World Cup is about brutality and unacceptable behaviour.”
“It’s up to them to start to win back the authority and the understanding of how the game should be played.”
Historical Context: How Paredes’ Potential Ban Compares
If FIFA hands down a 10-match ban to Leandro Paredes, it would set a new record for the longest player suspension in World Cup history. Historically, FIFA’s governing body has rarely meted out long retrospective suspensions on the global stage:
| Player | Year / Tournament | Incident | Suspension / Punishment |
Luis Suárez  | 2014 Brazil | Biting Giorgio Chiellini | 9 international matches + 4-month ban from all football activity |
Mauro Tassotti  | 1994 USA | Elbowing Luis Enrique | 8 international matches |
| José Batista | 1986 Mexico | Challenge on Gordon Strachan | 3 international matches |
Should FIFA accept Hackett’s recommendation, Paredes will surpass Luis Suárez’s 2014 sanction, marking the heaviest disciplinary hammer dropped in international football history.
The incident ended the longest World Cup in history, which featured some unforgettable moments. Spain lifted the trophy for only the second time in their history, adding to success in 2010.
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