Spain’s thrilling 2026 World Cup victory over Argentina was supposed to be a celebration of international football. However, an intense debate has dominated the aftermath. Fans and pundits have begun dissecting the FIFA finale, with Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons also sharing his unfiltered thoughts. 

“Lol soccer is a fixed sport!” Parsons wrote on X. 

Parsons’ frustrations stemmed from a tense, dramatic World Cup final that saw Spain ultimately outlast Argentina in extra time. After a physical, scoreless regulation period at MetLife Stadium, Barcelona forward Ferran Torres became the ultimate hero for La Roja. Torres broke the exhausting deadlock in the 106th minute, firing a decisive strike to secure a 1-0 victory and Spain’s second-ever World Cup trophy. 

But the rising debates overshadowed Torres’ clutch moment. Many claimed that handing a red card to Enzo Fernández, Argentina’s midfielder, forced the defending champions to navigate the extra time with only ten players. Fernández was sent off in the third minute of second-half stoppage time for a reckless challenge on Spain’s Pau Cubarsi, his second yellow card of the match

It was only the sixth red card shown in a World Cup final in the tournament’s history, and the first since the Netherlands’ John Heitinga saw one against Spain in the 2010 final. And while Match officials and VAR both upheld the call, and ESPN’s review called it “as clear a second yellow as you are likely to see,” that verdict did little to quiet the noise.

On top of that, people have been debating the VAR interventions and penalty decisions on social media throughout the contest, with critics arguing that officials used VAR in cases outside its original intent. The disciplinary committee even suspended USMNT striker Folarin Balogun for one game after a VAR review revealed a foul the referee initially missed. But the controversy deepened when FIFA lifted the ban after conversing with President Donald Trump. 

Then, during the Round of 16 game between Argentina and Egypt, the latter’s manager, Hossam Hassan, argued that with the score still 1-0, Egypt had a legitimate second goal taken away after VAR flagged a foul from over 100 yards up the pitch. He also believed his side deserved a penalty in the buildup to Argentina’s eventual third goal, the one Enzo Fernández put away to seal the match.

“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition?” Hassan told Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports after the 3-2 loss against Argentina in the Round of 16. “Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running?” 

Unfortunately for Argentina, the heartbreaking defeat officially signals the end of an era, marking Lionel Messi’s last dance.