Was the referee unfair to Messi's team? Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni reveals 'reality' about World Cup final

Lionel Scaloni refused to blame the referee for Argentina’s final defeat. Since the World Cup final, there have been a number of accusations against Slovenian referee Slavko Vincica of unfairness towards Lionel Messi’s team.

Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in overtime for Spain. His strike secured a 1-0 win at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Spain dominated the match from start to finish.

Enzo Fernandez was sent off during the final due to two yellow cards during the game. The first yellow card he received remains disputed.

Argentina became the first team without a shot in regular time. They managed only 2 attempts for the entire final. Lionel Messi’s 117th-minute effort was their first.

Some Argentine players were affected by Fernandez’s late red card. However, Scaloni insisted that the officiating was not responsible for the result.

An injury to Lisandro Martinez further hampered Argentina’s chances during the match. The Manchester United defender was forced off before the end of the game.

According to the Argentine coach, Spain simply outplayed Argentina throughout the match. Scaloni believes the confession would ultimately help the team improve. It also suggests that fatigue affected Argentina’s overall stunning performance.

“Was the refereeing unfair? No, we lost because Spain were better than us. We have to admit it, they played better. (I admit that) it will make us better in the long run,” FotMob quoted Scaloni as telling reporters in Argentina.

“We probably reached the finals empty-handed, that’s the reality,” added the coach of Argentina.

Slavko Vincic

Slavko Vincic somehow became a key factor for Argentina fans. Apparently there is a fool involved with him. But he only managed Argentina once before the 2026 final. One may wonder why there is so much talk about him.

This is because ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vincic refereed Argentina’s match against Saudi Arabia in 2022. It was Messi’s shock defeat for the minnows.

His appointment was seen by fans as an unlucky sign in advance. However, his decisions did not completely disadvantage Argentina during this game. He awarded Argentina an early penalty which was converted by Lionel Messi. Vincic also booked 6 players, all from the Saudi Arabian side.

Spain, meanwhile, held an unblemished record under Vinci’s tenure. He never saw the Spanish defeat. This included Spain’s Euro 2024 semi-final victory over France. Ahead of the game, there was growing anxiety among Argentina fans because of this contrasting history.

Meanwhile, Argentina received a heroes’ welcome when they arrived home. Even though Lionel Messi’s men ended up on the losing side, fans celebrated their incredible journey through the tournament.