The World Cup final took an unexpected turn when referee Slavko Vincic’s foam canister burst in his back pocket during the second half, sending foam shooting towards Spain midfielder Alex Baena.
Vincic was marking out a free-kick for Spain when the can seemed to explode. The foam covered Baena’s face, but he managed to dodge most of it, swiping the falling foam away with a look of displeasure.
“Referee's foam can explodes during World Cup final, covering Spain's Baena and sparking fan hilarity.”
ITV commentator Lee Dixon was quick to joke: “That was better than the half-time show.” His co-commentator Sam Matterface added: “That was an inadvertent explosion, I wonder what caused it.”
Social media erupted with amusement. One fan posted: “Baena gets the foam treatment from referee.” Another wrote: “Fifa referees have a can of shaving cream to spray when players won’t listen or crowd around, I’m dying ha.” A third said: “Most exciting moment of the match.” Others quipped: “The referee accidentally turned Baena into the free-kick wall” and “That vanishing spray had more impact on him than the actual set piece.”
The moment came during a final that had already underwhelmed fans. The closing ceremony was slammed as the “worst ever” by viewers, who also noted that supporters in the stadium looked bored. Performances from Post Malone, YouTuber IShowSpeed and a speech by Tom Cruise preceded the match, which was delayed by six minutes.
For Baena, it was a bizarre moment he won’t forget – and for fans, it provided the match’s most memorable moment.