Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes have spoken out after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the World Cup 2026 final. The pair addressed allegations of favoritism toward their team during the tournament.
Argentina lost to Spain after extra time on Sunday, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute. De Paul said the greatest pain was failing to bring the trophy home and accused critics of spreading conspiracy theories to ease their own disappointment.
"Today, I see how many people were hoping for this defeat, spreading unfounded conspiracy theories throughout the World Cup to soothe the pain of others who couldn’t experience what all Argentinians were experiencing," De Paul said.
Paredes, who was involved in an on-pitch altercation with Spain's Gavi after the match, expressed pride in the team's effort despite the loss. He told fans his heart was heavy yet full of pride for representing the jersey.
FIFA chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina and former assistant referee Darren Cann rejected claims of bias, calling the allegations unfounded and nonsense.
