The fallout from Argentina’s impressive victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup defeat to Spain is intensifying, as President Javier Milei reacted mockingly on social media when an online petition calling for Argentina to be banned from future World Cups exceeded 23 million.Spain claimed their second win of the men’s World Cup with a 1-0 extra-time win at New York’s New Jersey Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring in the 106th minute after Luis de la Fuente’s side dominated and prevented Lionel Messi’s Argentina from registering a single shot on target at all times.However, attention was quickly diverted from the football after chaos at the final whistle, prompting FIFA to open a resolution on the conduct of several members of the Argentine delegation.
The petition has more than 28 million signatures
According to reports, a “Argentina Out” The campaign closed on 19 July 2026, just after the World Cup finals, with 23,316,108 confirmed signatures from supporters in around 170 countries. The petition narrowly missed the Guinness World Record for the most signed petition on the Internet, which was close to 24.3 million signatures.The campaign is asking FIFA to remove Argentina from future World Cups, saying that the team’s actions during and after the finals have damaged the image of the sport and calling for stronger action to protect fair play.The appeal came after a game where Argentina committed repeated fouls, midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card, and was involved in a nasty brawl after Spain’s win.
Spain’s Gavi, left, falls as he tackles Argentina’s Leandro Paredes (5) and Thiago Almada during the World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Leandro Paredes was seen grabbing Spain full-back Eric García by the throat before clashing with Gavi, while Nahuel Molina was seen throwing a punch at Spain forward Rodri. FIFA has also launched an investigation into the incident, with players, coaches and the Argentine Football Association facing possible sanctions.
Miley is responding with a sneer on social media
Instead of distancing himself from the growing controversy, Argentine President Javier Milei responded with a series of patriotic messages on Instagram defending the national team and condemning what he said was anti-Argentina.One of the posts shared by the Argentine leader:“Do you have enemies? It means you once defended something. We defend Argentina.”In another post, Milei said Argentina’s popularity around the world was the reason for the criticism.“The problem with Argentina is that we stand out. We don’t go unnoticed, people envy us, and we are good at almost everything.”He also shared an AI-generated photo of him ripping off his suit to reveal the Argentina shirt underneath, along with the caption:“Long live Argentina, thank you!”The document was widely circulated as the debate over Argentina’s behavior continued both inside and outside the country.
The opposition petition calls for a replay of the World Cup final
The backlash has also fueled the opposition campaign in Argentina.Thousands of followers have signed a special petition wants the World Cup final to be replayed, claiming that Slovenian footballer Slavko Vinčić was biased in favor of Spain.The petition claims that the final was affected by “opposition and fraud” and calls on FIFA to reverse the result.However, no concrete evidence has been provided to substantiate the claims, and there is nothing to suggest that FIFA or Vinčić did not do well in the match.The Argentine Football Association has also sought to end the dispute over its proposed delay, with AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia urging supporters to accept Spain’s victory.
Paredes remains pessimistic if FIFA investigation he continues
The controversy has been fueled by the comments of midfielder Leandro Paredes, who has been criticized for his performance in the match.In a social media statement published after the final, Paredes expressed pride in Argentina’s campaign but stopped short of apologizing for his actions.“Thank you, Argentina! I love you today and always,” he wrote. “Today I am writing with a lot of pain in my heart because we could not give our country the happiness it deserved, but my chest is full of pride because we gave everything we had and put our flag high.”He added that “it was a privilege to be part of the best Argentine team in history.”Along with Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada and assistant coach Roberto Ayala are still under investigation by FIFA following the incident at MetLife Stadium.Meanwhile, criticism continues to spread beyond Argentina’s borders. Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente recently described the protests as “intolerable” and praised his players for remaining calm throughout the altercation, with FIFA’s sanctions pending as soccer’s world governing body reviews the referee’s reports and final videos.