FIFA World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi blasted over Marc Cucurella send off attempt, reaction, Spain defeat Argentina

A record-equalling third FIFA World Cup final ended in bitter defeat for Lionel Messi.

The 39-year old champion was attempting to join an exclusive club of two-time World Cup champions in his third decider for Argentina against Spain - the first man ever to captain his nation thrice on the biggest stage of all.

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But it was a torrid final for Messi, who was rendered a non-factor by a miserly Spanish defence in a 1-0 win that saw the new world champions finish the tournament having conceded just one goal.

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His most controversial moment came in the immediate aftermath of teammate Enzo Fernandez’s red card for a late tackle in the 93rd minute.

Fernandez received his second yellow card after the hefty challenge on Spanish defender Pau Cubarsi to reduce Argentina to ten men.

Following an exchange of words with Spaniard Marc Cucurella immediately following the red card, Messi called for referee Slavko Vincic’s attention, having seen the 27-year old touch his fingers to his mouth mid-discussion.

Under new rules for the 2026 World Cup, players can be booked or even sent off for covering their mouths with their shirt or hand during a confrontation.

The law is known colloquially as the ‘Vinicius Rule’ after Brazilian and Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr, who was the target of an alleged discriminatory slur from Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni that he hid behind his shirt during a Champions League match in February.

Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was the first player to be sent off under the rule after being caught covering his mouth during an exchange with Turkey’s Mert Müldür during the group stage of the tournament.

However, the Argentinian captain’s pleas would fall on deaf ears, with Cucurella avoiding being booked.

The reaction was swift against Messi, with Piers Morgan abandoning all subtlety and calling the champion a ‘nasty little sneak’.

On the BBC, former English greats Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart couldn’t hide their disappointment in Messi, with Rooney criticising Argentina’s tactics.

“Argentina, they play like that. We know that’s what they do,” the legendary England striker said.

“The one thing you want is good sportsmanship and that was sad to see Lionel Messi doing that.”

“I didn’t enjoy that at all. You realise how on top Spain are in this game if even Lionel Messi is reverting to that,” former England goalkeeper Hart said.

On ITV’s coverage of the final, former Arsenal great and England defender Lee Dixon was even harsher.

“The game has gone if you’re getting bookings and red cards for that, to get somebody sent off,” Dixon said.

“You shouldn’t be such a baby to try and get someone sent off for that. It’s ridiculous.”

Messi would touch the football 54 times during the match — all in benign areas — and was repeatedly fouled by a Spanish team that barely gave him a second of breathing room over 120 minutes.

The tactics worked perfectly: with Messi a non-factor, Argentina’s attack withered away, with the reigning champions becoming the first team ever to not register a single shot on target in the first 90 minutes of a World Cup final.

They would finish with just three, all coming in extra time following Ferran Torres’ go-ahead goal for Spain.

“He hardly had a sniff until the very end,” Hart said on the BBC of Messi’s afternoon in East Rutherford.

“He has had a brilliant tournament but it was not his moment today.”

With Argentinian manager Lionel Scaloni seemingly putting the cue in the rack after Fernandez’s red card and opting for all out defence, La Albiceleste’s strategy was widely criticised.

BBC commentator Guy Mowbray wondered if Scaloni had “Tucheled himself”, referring to England manager Thomas Tuchel’s ill-fated parking of the bus during England’s semi-final loss to Argentina.

Writing for The Independent, football correspondent Miguel Delaney described the performance as resulting in “the worst-ever final”.

“Only one team is actually playing to win but they are getting into one of those funks where they don’t quite know how, the final touch missing in a congested box,” Delaney wrote.

“Argentina look like they’re just grinding this out for penalties.”

On the world broadcast, former player Alan Smith said: “Only one team tried to win this football match.”

“Argentina, even when it was 11 v 11, tried to see it out … still, not efforts on goal, quite incredible,” he added.

Former German great and 2014 World Cup hero Toni Kroos summed up the mood of many with a post on X that read simply: “Football won”.

Messi, meanwhile, remained classy in defeat, saying after the match his team had “played our hearts out” and giving Spain their dues.

“They were better, to be honest,” he said.

“We lost the game, and we accept that. That doesn’t mean that we will forget everything we’ve done so far, so I’d like to thank my people, my players and the country.”

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