FIFA Launches Investigation into Post-Final Brawl

[Anchor]

FIFA has launched a formal investigation into Argentine players who assaulted Spanish players following the North and Central America World Cup final. Heavy disciplinary action is expected.

Reporter Ha Seong-nyong has the story.

[Reporter]

The moment Spain's victory was confirmed, Spanish captain Rodri ran onto the pitch, and Argentina's Molina suddenly struck him in the abdomen, leading to a clash between the two players.

Subsequently, Argentina's Paredes shoved Garcia forcefully and knocked Gavi to the ground, engaging in physical violence reminiscent of a mixed martial arts match.

The situation escalated as Argentine coach Ayala joined the brawl, turning the pitch into a scene of chaos.

Criticism has poured in against the Argentine squad, who lost not only the match but also their sportsmanship.

[Wayne Rooney / BBC Commentator: (Argentina) were completely outplayed in the match and in spirit, and they ended up resorting to that behavior. If you lose a game, you should accept the defeat and leave the pitch. It is truly below standard.]

[Joe Hart / BBC Commentator: The game is over, and there is absolutely no reason for Argentina to complain. It is truly disgusting behavior.]

FIFA has immediately initiated disciplinary proceedings.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee stated, "We have appointed a dedicated disciplinary and ethics investigator to begin an inquiry." Under the regulations, the players and coaching staff involved could face severe sanctions, including suspension from activities.

Argentina is also currently under investigation by FIFA for violating rules prohibiting political slogans after they displayed a banner reading "The Falkland Islands are Argentine" following their semifinal match against England.

In the FIFA rankings, Argentina has also surrendered the top spot to Spain, dropping to second place.

South Korea, which was eliminated in the group stage, has fallen out of the top 30 for the first time in 4 years and 7 months, while Japan, which reached the round of 32, is ranked 17th, maintaining its position as the top-ranked Asian nation.

(Video Editing: EJAE, Design: Han Song-yeon, Video Source: BBC Football · X @ArturoVill7)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.