Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Pau Cubarsi, reducing Argentina to 10 men in the World Cup final against Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Chelsea midfielder's dismissal sparked a furious reaction from his teammates, with Lionel Messi immediately protesting to Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic — but it was a subsequent incident that drew the ire of ITV commentator Lee Dixon.
Messi appeared to try to get Spain's Marc Cucurella sent off for communicating while covering his mouth, a rule that saw Paraguay's Miguel Almiron punished earlier in the tournament. “The game has gone if you're getting bookings and red cards for that, to get somebody sent off,” Dixon said on the broadcast. “You shouldn’t be such a baby to try and get someone sent off for that, it’s ridiculous.”
“Enzo Fernandez sent off as Argentina face Spain; Trump arrives, backs Messi; Gabby Logan makes history as first female presenter of men's World Cup final.”
US President Donald Trump, who arrived at the stadium with his wife Melania and his closest family, had earlier predicted Argentina would win, telling FOX: “It's hard to bet against Messi.” He praised the 39-year-old's semi-final winning assist against England, calling it “perfect” and noting how Messi “got away from the defender.” Trump also revealed he urged FIFA president Gianni Infantino to hold the next tournament in the US again — despite the 2030 edition already slated for Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
Messi, playing his 34th World Cup match, is chasing history: a win would make him the first captain to lift the trophy twice. He has scored eight goals in seven games in 2026, two behind tournament top scorer Kylian Mbappe. Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni called Messi “the best footballer the world has ever seen” and said reaching a final at 39 is “unbelievable.”
Gabby Logan made history by becoming the first woman to present a men's World Cup final for the BBC. The 53-year-old fronted coverage alongside pundits Micah Richards, Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney from the broadcaster's base in New Jersey, having flown over after working from Salford for most of the tournament.
As the final entered extra time with Argentina a man down, Messi's chance to seal a second consecutive World Cup — a feat achieved only by Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) — hung in the balance. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has said he doubts this will be Messi's last World Cup: “Even if you hear it is the end, I doubt it… I just see him with the national side, simply because he enjoys it.”