Jon Doel

Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain was overshadowed by violent confrontations involving multiple Argentine players, who also faced criticism for turning their backs on Spain during the trophy ceremony. Commentators condemned their behaviour as classless, while FIFA is set to investigate. Manager Lionel Scaloni's claims of dignified conduct were met with scepticism in light of the on‑field clashes and disciplinary issues.

FIFA defended the independence of its disciplinary process after suspending Folarin Balogun’s automatic World Cup ban, following criticism sparked by Donald Trump’s call to Gianni Infantino. Belgium appealed the decision, raising concerns over political interference. Infantino insisted external pressure played no role. Separately, Keir Starmer intervened through diplomatic channels to block a proposed change to England’s match kick-off time in Mexico, citing competitive fairness and acclimatisation issues.