Why was the only Argentinian player watching Spain lift the Cup?
Striker Flaco Lopez wants to show respect for his Spanish colleagues after the 2026 World Cup final, and hopes to be able to recreate that moment with Argentina soon.
On July 19, Argentina played poorly and lost 0-1 to Spain in extra time in the final at MetLife Stadium, USA.
After the medal ceremony from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump, the Argentinian players did not stay to watch their opponents lift the Cup as usual. Instead, they, along with the coaching staff and team staff, moved towards the stands for Argentina fans. It's unclear whether accidentally or intentionally, this caused them to stand with their backs to the award podium.
Only Flaco Lopez did not do that. The striker of Palmeiras Club (Brazil) turned around and watched his colleagues on the Spanish side celebrate.
This incident was brought up to Lopez when he attended a press conference for children, on the occasion of extending his contract with Palmeiras until 2030. The striker born in 2000 said: "Coach Abel Ferreira always reminds us about respect for opponents. He always teaches and tells the whole team about that. I thought at that time I needed to look, because I also want to return there one day and win. It was a part of endurance, you have to accept and face everything. That will help you become much stronger to achieve what you desire."
Immediately after the final, Lopez received many compliments on social networking platforms. Some comments that received a lot of likes were "I have respect for you, humility is always worth more than arrogance", "You are the only one who shows maturity and respect for sports" or "You represent good Argentines".
Lopez did not evaluate the actions of other members of the team, but affirmed that Argentines are always ready to face failure. "When one cannot win, because football is a game, Argentines will try to accept in the best way. We accept and continue to move forward," he said.
Lopez, 26 years old, is the least known player in the Argentina squad. He recently played for two domestic clubs, Lanus and currently Palmeiras. At the 2026 World Cup, this striker came off the bench twice and left a strong impression when assisting Julian Alvarez to score to increase the score to 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals against Switzerland.
In the 2026 World Cup final, Argentina also left an unflattering image with its fierce play. Enzo Fernandez was sent off in second half stoppage time, forcing Argentina to play with one man in two extra periods. At the end of the match, it was Leandro Paredes' turn to receive a straight red card for pushing and knocking down two Spanish players. Veteran midfielder Nicolas Otamendi accused Rodri and Aymeric Laporte of "crying all week" and trying to influence the referee days before the match.
FIFA then issued penalties to both teams. Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes was suspended for 10 matches, while defender Nahuel Molina received a seven-match sentence. Both also have to pay a fine of $90,000. Assistant coach Roberto Ayala was also banned from directing three matches due to the assault of strangling Dani Olmo. Gavi was the only Spanish player disciplined, receiving a one-match suspension and a $30,000 fine for the unsportsmanlike behavior of rushing to respond to Paredes when the Argentine player was fighting with Eric Garcia.
