World Cup final referee Slavko Vincic experienced an embarrassing moment during Sunday's championship match in East Rutherford, New Jersey, when his vanishing spray malfunctioned, inadvertently dousing Spanish winger Alex Baena.
Vincic, who described his appointment as a "dream," was officiating the sport's biggest game when the incident occurred in the second half after awarding Spain a free-kick. As he attempted to retrieve the spray canister from his back pocket, Vincic accidentally discharged its contents, spraying Baena, who was standing behind him.
The mixture of water and propellant gases did not force Baena out of the game, and he remained on the field until being replaced in the 75th minute. Social media users speculated about the mishap, with some suggesting it was an attempt to disadvantage the Spanish team.
Vincic is an experienced referee, having previously officiated the 2024 Champions League final and Spain's Euro 2024 semi-final. He also officiated Argentina's opening defeat to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup, the last World Cup match involving Argentina that he has overseen.
During this World Cup final, Vincic's decisions also included a red card issued to Argentina's Enzo Fernández in stoppage time, which left coach Lionel Scaloni without a key midfielder for extra time.