The ugly side of Argentina's World Cup defeat: fists, post-match melee and disrespect of the winner

Spain's historic FIFA World Cup triumph over Argentina should have been remembered solely for their football.

Instead, the final was overshadowed by chaotic scenes after the final whistle as emotions boiled over on the pitch.

After Ferran Torres' extra-time winner secured a 1-0 victory for Spain, celebrations at the centre circle quickly descended into confrontation.

Television cameras captured Spain defender Eric Garcia celebrating passionately with his teammates before Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes stormed towards the group and grabbed him by the neck, sparking a mass confrontation.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni and assistant Walter Samuel immediately rushed onto the field in an attempt to restore order, but tensions escalated further when Gavi stepped in to defend his teammate.

Although Thiago Almada tried to separate the players, Paredes grabbed Gavi by the shirt before wrestling the Spain midfielder to the ground. Security staff and members of both coaching teams eventually intervened to break up the incident.

Although the match had already ended, referee Slavko Vincic included the altercation in his official report and Paredes was subsequently shown a red card.

The controversy, however, did not end there.

As Spain prepared to lift the World Cup trophy, Argentina's players chose not to remain on the pitch to applaud the new champions. Instead, they briefly acknowledged their own supporters before heading towards the dressing room, leaving Spain to celebrate alone.

The gesture quickly attracted criticism from fans and pundits, particularly after Scaloni had spoken about the importance of showing dignity in both victory and defeat.

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For many observers, the scenes brought back memories of Argentina's stormy quarter-final against the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup.

That match was also marked by repeated confrontations, with Paredes at the centre of the controversy after kicking the ball into the Dutch bench and becoming involved in several heated exchanges before and after the penalty shootout.

Sunday's incidents have once again placed Argentina's discipline and conduct under the spotlight, overshadowing what should have been a night remembered for La Roja's long-awaited coronation as world champions.