Argentine media outlets have been criticized for their praise of the national team's conduct during the World Cup, despite widespread reports of unsportsmanlike behavior and physical altercations at full-time. Following Spain's 1-0 victory in the final, Argentine players were involved in multiple incidents, including punches and shoves directed at Spanish opponents.
Leandro Paredes was sent off for punching Eric Garcia and pushing Gavi, while Enzo Fernandez also received a red card for a late challenge. Nahuel Molina reportedly struck Rodri as the Spanish team celebrated their win. The Argentine players also turned their backs as the Spanish squad lifted the trophy, an act many viewed as poor sportsmanship.
Despite these events, Argentine newspaper Clarin published an editorial describing the team as "polite and respectful," attributing the full-time clashes to "unfortunate isolated incidents." The publication stated that the team displayed "a range of values that are rare these days" and showed "the face of a country that we would like to see away from the football pitch."
This portrayal sharply contrasts with reactions from international observers. Former professional players speaking on the BBC and other outlets expressed dismay. Micah Richards called the actions "embarrassing," while Joe Hart described the behavior as "disgusting." Wayne Rooney stated that the incidents were "sad" and "very poor," suggesting they were a reaction to being outplayed. Alan Shearer echoed these sentiments, calling Spain's victory a "result for football" due to Argentina's conduct.
Paredes had reportedly been fortunate to avoid earlier dismissals during the match for other infractions. Even Lionel Messi was noted for attempting to draw unfavorable attention to Spanish player Marc Cucurella late in the game, an action Rooney characterized as "desperation."