Fan footage shows what really started Argentina vs Spain full time brawl

New footage of the lead up to the fracas that unfolded at the World Cup final has been shared online.

Video recorded from the stands in the New York/New Jersey Stadium seems to shed new light on what sparked the altercation between Spain's players and Argentina's squad.

It captured what happened in the moments between the final whistle being blown and the ugly scenes unfolding on the pitch - and how chaos ensued as La Roja began to celebrate.

FIFA confirmed it is launching an investigation into the conduct of Argentinian football stars in wake of what happened at the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday (19 July).

The sporting world has been left reeling by what ensued after the game came to an end following a period of extra time.

Spanish forward Ferran Torres, 26, hit the back of the net in the 106th minute, securing his team's position as champions. However, their opponents didn't take the loss very well.

Lionel Messi said the 'pain is immense' when reflecting on Sunday's defeat in a social media post, while he added: "This wound will take time to heal."

Although a lot of people tuning into the World Cup final from home didn't catch what triggered the brawl between the rival teams, fresh footage that is going viral appears to explain how it all began.

Most people have seen clips which show Spain's captain Rodri being confronted by Argentinian defender Nahuel Molina, 28, but aren't aware of what provoked this face-off.

But according to video that has been shared online by La Liga commentator Axel Martínez, Molina went out of his way to rain on the parade of Spanish players as they celebrated their 1-0 win.

Borja Iglesias and Eric Garcia are seen jubilantly embracing in the clip, before Rodri dashes onto the pitch from the sidelines to revel in the victory with his teammates.

But the joyful moment was interrupted by Molina, who allegedly struck Manchester City star Rodri, 30, in the stomach.

Players from both teams then rush over and Argentina's Leandro Paredes can be seen sprinting towards the chaos before shoving Garcia to the ground and then grappling with 21-year-old Spanish star Gavi.

Paredes reportedly received a red card for his post-match antics, while his teammate Enzo Fernandez was booked during the game, leaving only 10 men on the pitch.

Fernandez, a midfielder, has since spoken out about Argentina's loss - and ironically said his experience at this year's international football tournament 'teaches that competing isn't just about winning'.

90 + prórroga dando palos Paredes y ni cuando ha pitado el final ha parado, una sanción ejemplar es lo que merece, mal deportista. pic.twitter.com/TSZWuQVPYg

— Axel Martínez (@AxeeL) July 20, 2026

Paredes also issued a statement on Tuesday (21 July) morning, and despite him being at the centre of the controversy, he said he still has a 'chest full of pride for giving everything we had'.

Pundits described the display from the South American side a 'disgrace', while Premier League legend Alan Shearer accused Paredes of 'throwing haymakers'.

"He went for them," he told BBC viewers. "There is no place or space for that. We know how much it means to them and we know how much it hurts to lose, but there is a way to lose.

"Too many times we have seen that from Argentina. The reaction after the final whistle is terrible."

Piers Morgan also had his say on the unsportsmanlike behaviour that the world saw at the final, as he said in a post on X: "Disgusting behaviour by the Argentinians at the end, especially Paredes.

"Just a bunch of nasty violent thugs, and a disgrace to football. Never been so happy to see a team lose."

After watching the new footage, a lot of social media users seemed to share the same opinion.

One said: "I’m glad they lost. Despicable."

And another wrote: "Ugly football in two games, marred by terrible behaviour on losing."