Defending World Cup champions Argentina faced Spain in Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final. However, in a match the Argentina faithful were hoping would be Lionel Messi’s international swan song, the Argentine squad was completely outclassed. Although the regular time ended in a scoreless draw, Spain outshot Argentina 20-2 en route to its 1-0 win in extra time, dominating with 65% possession. After the match, ESPN’s ESPN FC studio crew was astonished by how poorly Argentina performed with history on the line.
“In one of the worst World Cup finals we have ever seen, Spain in the end deservedly get the victory and defeat Argentina. It was Ferran Torres’ well-taken goal that proved to be the difference between the two sides,” Dan Thomas said to start the segment.
“Two shots from Argentina, none in regular time. Both of those came in extra time. Enzo Fernández sent off. Spain with the victory as they lift the title and get a second star on their shirt.
“What a complete and utter disgrace today.”
The FC crew reacts the Argentina’s performance vs. Spain in the World Cup final ✍️ pic.twitter.com/0iVmVVVRS3
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 19, 2026
“We’re supposed to be objective on this show, but I don’t think anyone, unless you’re an Argentina supporter, will be more pleased than what we saw Spain lift in the World Cup, because goodness me, that was embarrassing from the defending champions, wasn’t it?”
Craig Burley was even more scathing in his criticism of La Albiceleste, which finished with 0.22 expected goals (xG).
“I’d go as far as to say Argentina were a complete and utter disgrace today, both with their performance and their antics. We expected the antics, we expected the thuggery, we expected the off-the-ball stuff, but we also expected a lot more on the ball, a lot more purpose, a lot more about their play,” he said.
“They were in utter shambles; they were disgusting, disgraceful. And yeah, I mean, I’m so pleased Spain won, and I could just see a scenario at the end there, but before Spain scored, that it was going to go to penalties, or they were going to get a scruffy goal, Argentina, and win this… to put that kind of performance in a World Cup final, that negative— it was a disgusting performance.”
Frank Lebouef, who won the 1998 World Cup as a centerback for the French National team, felt that Argentina wasn’t playing the right way, calling their performance “completely negative,” “unbearable,” before adding that it was a “bad image of football.”
Steve McManaman joined the other panelists in panning the performance, and let Messi’s teammates hear it for letting the legend down and engaging in antics on the pitch in what was almost certainly his last chance to win a World Cup, saying that “they just want to do anything else apart from win a football match.”
“They’ll kick, they’ll punch, they’ll drag, they’ll dive,” he added of the things they were more interested in, before calling them out for pushing and shoving Spanish players off camera after losing.
Throughout the tournament, some of Argentina’s critics and opponents called out what they deemed to be outside interference or behind-the-scenes decision-making in favor of Argentina affecting the outcome of its matches. But on Sunday, there was no amount of intervention, VAR or otherwise, capable of salvaging a victory from the performance Argentina turned in.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.