According to a report by GOAL on Monday July 20, 2026, Broadcaster Piers Morgan has strongly criticized Argentina’s players following their defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, describing their conduct after the match as a “disgrace to football.”

Argentina’s hopes of retaining the World Cup title came to an end after they were beaten 1-0 by Spain following extra time. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to hand Luis de la Fuente’s side their second FIFA World Cup crown.

The final, however, ended in controversy as tempers boiled over after the final whistle. A heated confrontation broke out between players from both teams, with Leandro Paredes at the centre of the incident.

According to reports, Paredes first shoved Spain defender Eric Garcia before turning his attention to Gavi, pushing the midfielder to the ground. The incident quickly escalated into a larger melee as players and members of the coaching staff from both sides rushed in to separate those involved.

Reacting to the scenes on social media platform X, Morgan condemned the actions of the Argentina players, reserving particular criticism for Paredes. “Disgusting behaviour by the Argentinians at the end, especially Paredes. Just a bunch of nasty violent thugs, and a disgrace to football. Never been so happy to see a team lose,” Morgan wrote.

The final itself was a physical affair, with Argentina receiving the majority of the disciplinary sanctions from referee Slavko Vinčić. The South American side finished the match with 10 men after Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off in stoppage time of normal play for receiving a second yellow card.

Argentina also had five other players booked during the encounter, while Spain completed the match without receiving any of the disciplinary punishments highlighted in the report.

Beyond the post-match controversy, the defeat marked a disappointing end to Argentina’s campaign. Lionel Scaloni’s side had entered the final aiming to become only the third nation in history to win back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles after lifting the trophy four years earlier.

Scaloni was also chasing a place in football history, as victory would have made him only the second manager after Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo to win the FIFA World Cup on two occasions.

The disappointment was evident after the match, with Scaloni becoming emotional during his post-match press conference. The Argentina coach struggled to hold back tears as he reflected on the defeat before apologising and ending the media session early.

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