All the fallout from Sunday night’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina
- What happened: Ferran Torres scored an extra-time winner after Enzo Fernandez had been sent off to win Spain their second men’s World Cup. But the final descended into chaos.
- Outrageous scenes: The World Cup final descended into outrageous scenes as fights broke out among the two sets of players following the full-time whistle. Leandro Paredes was given his marching orders for his action during the scenes.
- Backlash: Lionel Scaloni’s lacklustre side have been hammered by former players turned pundits. Former Scotland international Craig Burley fumed: “Argentina were a complete and utter disgrace today, both with their performance and their antics.”
- More from Burley: Speaking on ESPN, he continued: “We expected the antics, we expected the thuggery, we expected the off the ball stuff, but we also expected a lot more on the ball, a lot more purpose… they were an utter shambles, disgusting, disgraceful. I’m so pleased Spain won. It was a disgusting performance (from Argentina).”
- Punches thrown: Molina appeared to throw a punch as Spain started their celebrations. He took a swing at Rodri, while Paredes was spotted kicking Eric Garcia to the floor before pushing him back with a hand around his neck when the Barcelona defender attempted to confront him.
- Alan Shearer view: The Newcastle United great said on the BBC: “Paredes threw two or three haymakers into someone’s face. He went for them. “There is no place or space for that.”
- Punishment called for: Writing in New Jersey, Express Sport’s Ryan Taylor believes: “FIFA are yet to punish Argentina’s controversial and offensive ‘Islas Malvinas’ banner post-England but it’s about time they threw the book at Lionel Scaloni’s side, who also lost huge respect on the day they vacated their World Cup crown. Paredes and Molina’s behaviour in particular was unsavoury, shocking and utterly unsurprising if you watched him in action against England in Atalanta.”
- Rioting breaks out: More than a dozen people have been ‘detained’ by police in Buenos Aires after rioting broke out after the game. It had largely been a peaceful affair in Buenos Aires, until riots broke out between police and fans at around 11:45pm.
- Trouble: Chaos reigned for 20 minutes as a ‘large group’ of fans then started hurling glass bottles and other projectiles at the police. Cops responded with tear gas and a water cannon to disperse irate crowds nearby, reported Argentine newspaper Infobae.
- Messi tears: Lionel Messi burst into tears following his side’s 1-0 defeat. Former Barcelona star Messi had managed to keep a stiff upper lip during the immediate aftermath but was unable to hold in his cry in the period after receiving his runners-up medal
- Shearer lets rip: Alan Shearer ripped into Fernadez following his sending off. He said: “I mean how daft is that from Enzo Fernandez? He’s on a yellow card for dissent. Not for the tackle, for dissent. And he knows that, because that didn’t happen long ago.”
- Rooney leaves BBC pundits speechless: Rooney branded the World Cup final half-time show ‘crap’ in a brutally honest verdict. He said: “I’ll be honest, mine (highlight) was when it finished. I like lot of those artists but I thought it was crap. I did, honestly. It just didn’t get me going. I want the football to come back on. I like Burna Boy, I like Bieber, I like Shakira. That was flat.”