Former Chelsea player Craig Burley has criticized Argentina for their disappointing performance in the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 final, labeling it as “a complete and utter disgrace.”
Spain concluded Argentina’s tenure as world champions with a narrow victory at the New York New Jersey Stadium, securing their first title since 2010.
While Luis de la Fuente’s team received accolades for dominating significant portions of the match, Burley expressed dissatisfaction with the Albiceleste’s approach, both defensively and offensively.
In a segment on ESPN, the former Premier League player did not hold back in his assessment of Lionel Scaloni’s squad, stating, “I would go as far as to say Argentina were a complete and utter disgrace today. Both in terms of their performance and their behavior. We anticipated the antics, the thuggery, and the off-the-ball incidents, but we also expected much more in terms of their play, more purpose, and more intent.”
Burley further criticized the overall quality of Argentina’s performance, asserting that Spain rightfully deserved to win the match.
“They were a complete shambles, disgusting, disgraceful. And yes, I am very pleased Spain won. I could envision a scenario where, just before Spain scored, it would either go to penalties or Argentina would snatch a scrappy goal and win.
“Spain attempted to make it an engaging match, striving to push forward, although their finishing was not quite up to par. Martínez made several saves, but they were routine. We know Argentina is not the greatest team ever, but to deliver such a performance in a World Cup final, so negative… it was a disgraceful display,” the pundit concluded.
Argentina’s showing in the 2026 final is arguably the most disappointing we have witnessed from them in recent years. The South American powerhouses were largely passive throughout the match, failing to pose any threat or demonstrate a desire to win.
