Argentina's Controversial World Cup Performance

So here's a question for you.

Has any country ever done itself so much

reputational damage through sport?

The World Cup finished last night and Argentina ended the tournament as they

started it. Cheating, squabbling,

fouling, kicking,

fighting and just generally looking like an absolute... bunch of scumbags.

What's really interesting as well, and I don't know whether most people saw it,

clearly the FIFA Football World Cup

has been going on for about six weeks and Argentina as a side have become

universally hated because of their antics, because of their cheating.

But Argentina rugby team played

against England on Saturday at the weekend.

And they weren't much different Constantly getting

the England players faces Disputing decisions,

which doesn't really happen very much in rugby and

then after the game when they lost when

England beat them on home soil Couldn't accept it couldn't accept the

result couldn't accept the final try that was disallowed Couldn't accept the

fact that they'd been beaten and physically outdone

Surrounded the referee pushing shoving getting in

the faces of the England players so it seems to be a National trait.

It's not just on the football pitch.

It seems to be they can't accept defeat.

They can't accept loss

Some people try and pass it off as passion,

as will to win,

as desire, and I'm sure there is an element of that,

but you have to couple that with

ability and playing the game in the right

way. Argentina in the World Cup final last night.

Didn't have a shot on target until the real depths of extra

time That's never happened before never ever in the history of football as a team in

the World Cup final Never even had a shot let alone a shot on target not one

single shot in 90 minutes. That's a joke.

That's a farce they set out from minute one to spoil the game, to ruin the game, to

hustle Spain, to kick Spain, to try and intimidate Spain.

They did the same on the rugby pitch on Saturday.

And as I say, they are now universally hated. disliked.

For a little while they were admired.

For a little while people said, well they find a way to win.

But that only carries you so far.

And the dislike, the disgust,

the joy at them losing has completely overtaken that.

And it also completely

destroys Messi's reputation undoubtedly one of the all time great players but

last night in

that game tried to get Cucaracha sent

off literally just for talking to him immediately raised his hand started

waving but the

officials he spoke to me he spoke to me he put his hand over his face so there's no

excuse for him either Fernandes.

Enzo Fernandes plays for my team.

Technically a brilliant player, a great footballer, but

what has he done to his reputation in this tournament?

What was he doing last night with those two fouls?

And he also started waving a card trying to get Cucurella sent off.

What makes that so

terrible is he's been a teammate of Cucurella's for the last three years.

They're buddies, they play in the same team,

they've both played for Chelsea for three seasons together.

And there he is in the World Cup final,

trying to get his mate sent off for absolutely nothing.

They are, and forever now,

will be perceived as scumbags and their reaction after the game,

they're fighting, they're assaults on the Spanish team, they're turning the back.

on the trophy presentation,

there has to be repercussions.

Will FIFA do anything about it? Probably not.

Because FIFA from the very outset in this tournament have wanted Argentina to win,

they wanted Messi to win, they wanted Messi to lift the trophy before he retires.

That's been clear as day.

Will FIFA now have

the balls to actually sanction Argentina?

Will they have the balls to ban some of the players?

To fine some of the players?

Potentially to stop them playing in future games and future tournaments?

They may, because

the pressure might be so great on them they don't have any choice.

But we shall see.

a good tournament very well hosted by the USA but ultimately

ruined by the antics of one country and ruined by the organizing body FIFA

who clearly were complicit in the cheating

from day one so that's my verdict on the World Cup that's my verdict on Argentina

And that's my verdict on why they are now universally hated

as a country and hated as a sporting nation.