There is almost something to admire in being so spectacularly unlikeable. Argentina’s players waved goodbye to their dreams of a fourth World Cup trophy last night with a parting flurry of bad sportsmanship.
First, full-back Nahuel Molina petulantly threw a punch at the chest of the Spanish captain Rodri as he ran past celebrating at the final whistle. Then the Argentinian midfielder Leandro Paredes struck Spain’s centre-back Eric García in the neck before hitting the substitute Gavi in the face, while his fellow Argentine, Thiago Almada, threw the unfortunate chap to the ground. How outrageous, Argentina’s players evidently felt, for their opponents to celebrate winning the final.
Less fiery minds will recall that this was only four days after Argentina’s stoppage-time semi-final victory over England, which they had celebrated gratuitously in the faces of their defeated opponents. Not to mention their parading of a banner reading ‘The Falklands are Argentinian’ over which Fifa has threatened to take action. Meanwhile, back in Buenos Aires, fans burned the Cross of St George, as well as a coffin draped in the Union Jack.
It is now, clearly, an acutely embarrassing time to be a fan of Argentina
