The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina did not end with the final whistle.

While La Roja celebrated winning the title, an incident on the pitch involving Dani Olmo and Roberto Fabián Ayala, a member of Argentina’s coaching staff, sparked a controversy that continued to grow in the following days.

After hearing the explanation given by the former Argentina defender, the FC Barcelona player decided to break his silence and present a completely different version of what happened.

Roberto Ayala’s version

Ayala had previously explained that what happened was only a push and denied throwing a punch at the Spanish player.

The former Valencia and Zaragoza defender accepted responsibility for his reaction, although he claimed it came in response to a comment made by Olmo.

He also expressed his intention to personally apologize to the Spanish player when he had the opportunity to meet him.

However, those words did not convince the world champion, who insisted that the comment mentioned by the member of Argentina’s coaching staff was never made.

A message about footballers’ responsibility

The attacking midfielder explained that one of his main wishes was for his family, his future children and the people of Terrassa to feel proud not only of the result achieved by Spain, but also of the way the team competed and behaved during the final.

For Olmo, winning the World Cup represents the reward for many years of hard work, but it also means maintaining standards of conduct consistent with the example footballers should set both on and off the pitch.

A controversy that continues after the World Cup

Although Ayala tried to bring the matter to a close by acknowledging that he reacted in the wrong way, Dani Olmo’s response once again placed the controversy at the center of the conversation.

The Spanish player made it clear that he was not only questioning the action itself, but also the explanation later used to justify it, a distinction that, for now, leaves conflicting versions of what happened after the final.