Spanish journalist Tomas Roncero of Diario AS has leveled sharp criticism at Argentina forward Lionel Messi regarding his conduct during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The championship match, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, saw Spain secure the trophy with a 1-0 victory, decided by an extra-time goal from Ferran Torres in the 106th minute.
A point of significant contention arose in the third minute of added time following the conclusion of the 90-minute regulation period. After Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez was issued a second yellow card and sent off, players from both squads gathered to dispute the decision. During this heated exchange, Spanish defender Marc Cucurella was observed covering his mouth. Messi, standing directly in front of him, reportedly approached the referee to urge the invocation of the "Prestianni Rule." This recently instituted regulation, designed to combat racism, hate speech, and on-pitch abuse, mandates that any player covering their mouth during a match should be sent off.
In a social media post on X, Roncero expressed his frustration, stating: "Every time I see the scenes of Messi repeated after Enzo's ejection, the more my blood boils. He tries to get @cucurella3 (Marc Cucurella) sent off by going to the referee to accuse him of something he hadn't done. Another Argentine player throws himself down all by himself 20 meters away and Leo calls for a VAR review. And he's the captain."
Following the controversial implementation of the "Prestianni Rule" during the 2026 tournament, UEFA has announced a shift in its approach for future situations. The governing body will now issue a yellow card rather than a straight red, with disciplinary investigations to follow after the match concludes. Despite the controversy, Messi was named to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Best XI. He concluded the tournament with eight goals and four assists across eight games—his highest-ever goal contribution tally in a single World Cup edition. While Spain's Rodri claimed the Golden Ball, Messi was awarded the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player. His career FIFA World Cup totals now stand at 21 goals and 12 assists in 34 appearances, placing him second and first in those respective categories all-time.
An extra-time goal from Ferran Torres (106') proved to be the only point of difference as Luis de la Fuente's side lifted the trophy.A controversial scenario unfolded in the third minute of added time after the 90 minutes were up.
His total FIFA World Cup tallies now sit at 21 goals (2nd) and 12 assists (1st) in 34 games (1st).With their talismanic forward unlikely to feature at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, all eyes will be on Argentina's young generation of stars in the near future.
