Spain’s World Cup triumph was partly overshadowed by controversy after Argentina came under heavy criticism for their conduct during the post match celebrations. Though Ferran Torres gave the European champions a 1-0 extra time win, attention swiftly moved to events following the final whistle.
The News Chronicle reports that a number of football experts and supporters disapproved of Argentina’s players’ reported departure instead of their stay to see Spain win the trophy. Some Argentina fans were also heard yelling Lionel Messi’s name during Rodri’s Golden Ball presentation, which many thought diverted attention from the personal prize event.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes’ dismissal following an argument with Spain players helped to cause more conflict. The event exacerbated the aggravation about Argentina’s agonizing World Cup Final loss.
While some questioned Argentina’s conduct during the competition, noted experts found the team’s acts to be subpar and not in the spirit of sportsmanship. With debates on not only their spectacular run to the championship game but also on the controversies that followed their loss, the final has now left the runners up under fresh scrutiny.
