Lionel Scaloni Makes Honest Admission About Refereeing After Argentina's World Cup Final Defeat
- Lionel Scaloni has addressed questions about the referee's role after his side's 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the World Cup final
- The Argentinian coach pointed to fatigue as a contributing factor in his side's historically underwhelming performance
- Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal at MetLife Stadium as La Roja dominated throughout the match to win their second global crown
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Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has refused to blame the referee for his side's defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, admitting Spain were simply the better team on the night.
La Roja claimed a 1-0 extra-time victory in New York New Jersey Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal to end Argentina's reign as world champions.
Despite complaints from some Argentine players over Enzo Fernández's dismissal, Scaloni insisted the result had nothing to do with the officiating.
Source: Getty Images
Scaloni gives verdict about World Cup final referee
Speaking after the match, the 48-year-old dismissed suggestions that referee Slavko Vinčić had influenced the outcome.
"Was the officiating unfair? No, we lost because Spain were better than us," Scaloni said. "We've got to admit it, they played better. [Admitting that] will make us better in the long run."
His comments stood in contrast to the criticism that followed several refereeing decisions during Argentina's run to the final, with the coach instead choosing to praise Spain's performance. The statistics reflected Scaloni's assessment.
Why Spain were deserving champions
Argentina endured one of their toughest outings under Scaloni, becoming the first team to fail to register a shot during regulation time in a World Cup final.
They managed only two attempts throughout the contest, with Lionel Messi producing their first effort in the 117th minute of extra time.
Scaloni also admitted fatigue had caught up with his squad after a demanding knockout campaign.
"We probably arrived at the final running on empty, that's the reality," he said.
Spain's disciplined display capped a remarkable tournament, while Argentina were left to reflect on a final in which they were second best from start to finish.
Yamal shares private words Messi told him
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Lamine Yamal disclosed the private words Lionel Messi shared with him after the 2026 World Cup final.
The Spanish teenager said Messi's message meant just as much to him as winning the World Cup gold medal.
Source: YEN.com.gh
