Infantino chose a different language: praise for Argentina despite a storm of criticism and a FIFA investigation

Spain v Argentina: Final - FIFA World Cup 2026

The Swiss official congratulates the Argentina players: Your achievement is the fruit of hard work

Gianni Infantino, the president of world football's governing body FIFA, has sent an official congratulatory message to Claudio Tapia, the president of the Argentine Football Association, despite his country's team losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain by a single goal after extra time.

Published on the Argentine Football Association's official website, the message from Infantino to Tapia heaped praise on the Albiceleste's run to the final, controversy and all.

Infantino said in his message: "At the magnificent New York-New Jersey stadium, Argentina won the silver medal at the 2026 World Cup, after a thrilling final against Spain. I would like to reiterate my warmest congratulations on this important success for Argentine football. The World Cup will remain in our memory as an unforgettable celebration of the game, marked by wonderful matches, the emergence of new talents, the presence of the biggest stars of the sport, and the exceptional atmosphere in stadiums filled with fans."

He credited Argentina's run with driving the tournament's success. "The wonderful performance of the Albiceleste contributed decisively to making this edition an exceptional event that attracted millions of football fans around the world," he said.

The FIFA president then asked Tapia to pass on his congratulations to the entire squad. "I send my sincere congratulations to everyone who contributed to achieving this wonderful result: the players, the coach Lionel Scaloni, the technical and medical staffs, and of course the many fans who supported and cheered on the team throughout the tournament."

He added: "These achievements are always the fruit of hard work, professionalism, and great attention to detail, but they are also the product of passion, commitment, and love for this wonderful sport. All of this bodes very well for a promising future, and undoubtedly opens the way for more great successes for Argentine football."

Signing off, Infantino turned to Tapia, who also sits on the FIFA Council. "I wish you every success in the upcoming competitions, and I hope to see you very soon."

This was not the first time Infantino had reached out to Argentina after the World Cup. He posted similar words on his Instagram account last Tuesday.

Nowhere in his message did Infantino touch on the storm that followed Argentina through the tournament, even as rival teams and observers questioned a string of refereeing decisions.

Egypt boss Hossam Hassan had blasted some of those calls after his side went out to Argentina in the round of 16, arguing that several key moments fell the way of the former world champions.

Other flashpoints during the tournament fuelled the row, and the scenes after the final only made things worse, with several Argentina players slammed for clashing with their Spanish opponents.

Violence marred the final itself. Enzo Fernández was sent off for a heavy challenge on Pau Cubarsí, and Leandro Paredes went after several Spain players once the whistle had gone.

It didn't end there. Argentina's players turned towards their own fans rather than watch Spain lift the trophy, a snub that drew fierce criticism.

FIFA have since opened an official investigation into the post-match scenes.

Their statement read: "After evaluating the reports of the World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina, and in line with Article 36 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the Disciplinary Committee has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate potential breaches of the code relating to the post-match events."

It added: "Additional details will be communicated by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee as soon as the prosecutor's report is completed."

It has exceeded 23 million: a petition demanding Argentina's expulsion from the World Cup for life