Javier Milei announces national holiday for Argentina despite World Cup defeat
Argentinian President Javier Milei has announced a national holiday despite his country failing to manage a single shot on target in their 1-0 World Cup final defeat to Spain.
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Spain were the worthy winners of the tournament and hardly came under any pressure during Sunday night’s final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Billed as a box-office final between the South American and European champions, what transpired was a defence versus attack exercise as the holders showed spirit but precious little else.
But despite a lacklustre performance from Lionel Messi and his men, Mr Milei has pressed ahead with a national holiday for the South American nation as they crashed out of the competition.
Posting to X, the Argentine president wrote: “Global celebration.
“In light of the interest surrounding the celebrations for the achievement of the Argentine National Team, I wish to inform the public that the day chosen by the players and the coaching staff for the celebration will be declared a national holiday.”
Read more: Spain crowned World champions following 1-0 win over Argentina after extra time
FESTEJO MUNDIAL
— Javier Milei (@JMilei) July 20, 2026
Dada la inquietud sobre los festejos por el logro alcanzado por la Selección Argentina, comunico a la población que, en función de lo que decidan los Jugadores y el Cuerpo Técnico respecto al día para celebrar, el mismo será declararado feriado nacional.
The president may be praising the national team, but fans and pundits from the international community have condemned the Argentinian squad after they played a dirty game and a dirty tournament.
During the match, Enzo Fernandez’s late challenge on Spain’s Pau Cubarsi earned him his second yellow card in the space of ten minutes. The Chelsea midfielder’s crunching tackle on the Spanish defender practically flipped him in the air.
Fernandez was then shown red in the 93rd minute as Argentina’s winning hopes appeared to shatter before their eyes.
It made Fernandez the sixth player in history to receive a red card in a men’s World Cup final, and the third from Argentina.
But Fernandez wasn’t the only Argentine who saw red.
Leandro Paredes was also sent off but only after the final whistle when scenes turned ugly, when he grabbed Spanish midfielder Gavi by the throat and threw him to the ground.
He was just one of several Argentinian players seen shoving the Spanish opposition to the ground in frustration in a showing of poor sportsmanship.
Nahuel Molina also appeared to throw a punch towards one of the celebrating Spain players.
Their actions have sparked fury from pundits and fans alike, who have hit out at their “indefensible thuggery and criminality”.
Leandro Paredes should be banned from international football for life viciously assaulting Spanish players after the final whistle.
— Adam Schwarz (@AdamJSchwarz) July 19, 2026
Indefensible thuggery and criminality. pic.twitter.com/aW5NMMIUXE
Initial goodwill towards the team and its star man Lionel Messi began to evaporate after they benefited from an astonishing VAR call in a 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt in the last 16, and a controversial red card for Switzerland striker Breel Embolo in the quarter-final under a new interpretation of the ‘mistaken identity’ protocol.
A series of rough challenges went unpunished in the first half of the semi-final against England, and it remains to be seen if the team will face any sanction for displaying a banner claiming Argentina’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands in the post-match celebrations.