Fifa has opened an investigation into Argentina after ugly scenes at the end of the World Cup final, with the governing body now reviewing what happened after the final whistle at MetLife stadium in New Jersey.
The inquiry comes after Argentina lost the World Cup final 1-0 on Sunday and follows a turbulent tournament period for the team. Fifa has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to assess the post-match fracas, which involved members of the Argentina team and backroom staff as tensions spilled over after the match against Spain players.
That incident came after an already contentious run for Argentina. Following their 2-1 semi-final win against England, Fifa began the process of potential disciplinary action after Argentina players held a banner supporting their country's claims to the Falkland Islands.
What happened after the final?
After the final whistle, altercations broke out between the two sides. During the chaos, Leandro Paredes was incorrectly reported as sent off, but the red card was deleted shortly afterwards and Fifa said no disciplinary action was taken at the time. Fifa later reopened the issue by assigning a prosecutor to review the events in full.
Argentina had already had one player dismissed in the match when Enzo Fernandez received a second yellow card in second-half stoppage time. That means the final already had discipline attached to it before the post-match scenes even began.
Why it matters
The investigation could lead to sanctions for players or coaches, along with a possible fine for the Argentine Football Association. For Argentina, the main issue now is not the result itself, but whether the behavior after the final whistle brings further punishment from Fifa.
For Leandro Paredes, the episode also answers one immediate question: he was not sent off in the match, despite the early report that suggested otherwise. The red card was removed soon after it was mistakenly shown, leaving Enzo Fernandez as the only Argentina player dismissed during the final.
With Fifa now formally reviewing the incident, the next step is a disciplinary decision based on what happened in New Jersey. That ruling will determine whether the final is remembered only for the result, or also for the fallout that followed it.
