Luis de la Fuente, head coach of the Spain national team, escalated his tone towards Argentine players, after describing the events that followed the 2026 World Cup final as 'unacceptable', in his first direct comment on the clashes that took place in the final match between the two teams.

Spain had been crowned World Cup champion for the second time in its history, after a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina, in the match hosted at MetLife Stadium last Sunday, before the celebrations turned into scenes of chaos and clashes between several players from both teams.

De la Fuente said, during his appearance on Spanish television: 'At that moment I was not aware of what happened, because I was celebrating with the players, but what occurred after the match ended is unacceptable under any circumstances.'

He added, as highlighted by French network RMC: 'What we saw is intolerable and unacceptable. Players at this level, led by a great coach, must have felt bad too when they saw those actions. These are scenes unworthy of football.'

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The end of the match witnessed widespread clashes, most notably the involvement of Leandro Paredes in violent altercations with several Spanish players, along with Nahuel Molina striking Rodri, while Fabián Ayala, assistant coach to Lionel Scaloni, was accused of assaulting Dani Olmo in the chaos that followed the final whistle.

The 'La Roja' coach praised his players' reaction, stressing that they handled the situation calmly despite provocations, and said: 'I would like to commend our players' behavior in the face of this type of assault and provocation; they remained calm and acted with sportsmanship until the end.'

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) had opened an official investigation into the events following the final, in order to determine responsibilities and take appropriate decisions against those involved.