'Messi behaved in a sportsmanlike manner': World Cup final referee Vincic
Retired Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has praised Lionel Messi's sportsmanship while reflecting on his handling of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain, saying he would keep the details of their on-field conversation private.
One of the most talked-about aspects of the final was Vincic's frequent verbal exchanges with the Argentina captain, with television cameras repeatedly capturing the pair in discussion throughout the match.
The referee, who announced his retirement just a week after the World Cup, also dismissed suggestions that Messi resorted to gamesmanship during Argentina's defeat.
"I'll leave that conversation on the pitch. But I can say that Messi behaved in a sportsmanlike manner," he said.
Argentina came under scrutiny for their combative approach in the final after Ferran Torres struck in extra time to hand Spain a 1-0 victory and a second World Cup title.
Messi also drew criticism after appearing to urge Vincic to send off Spain left-back Marc Cucurella following an incident in which the defender briefly covered his mouth while speaking. A similar offence had resulted in Paraguay's Miguel Almiron being dismissed earlier in the tournament.
However, Vincic insisted Messi conducted himself in exemplary fashion.
"I'll leave that conversation on the pitch. But I can say that Messi behaved in a sportsmanlike manner," he told Slovenian outlet Sport.
Speaking to Slovenian outlet Sport, the former official defended his performance in the showpiece match and reflected on several key moments from the tournament's decider.
Vincic admitted that being appointed to officiate the World Cup final initially came as a surprise before turning into a moment of immense pride.
"At first I was surprised. But then I felt proud of our team, who were going to represent Slovenia on such an important stage, at the biggest sporting event in the world. And, of course, also proud of the NZS and the refereeing organization," he said.
He also described the honour of representing Slovenian refereeing on football's biggest stage, particularly when "your entire refereeing career comes down to a single match."
The Slovenian highlighted the close bond he shares with his assistant referees, Tomaz Klancnik and Andraz Kovacic, crediting them for the team's success.
"Over all these years, we've gotten to know each other well, we know what each other thinks, how each other feels, and we understand each other. That's the foundation of success. We've spent many days together in hotels, seminars, during preparations, and at matches. For me, they're like a second family, and without them, what we've achieved wouldn't have been possible," he said.
Reflecting on the pressures of officiating a World Cup final, Vincic said the greatest challenge was managing the emotions surrounding such a high-stakes occasion.
"It's the World Cup final. Mentalities and reactions are different, but given the importance of the game, we have to understand everything. The biggest challenge, of course, is managing everything somehow during the match," he said.
The final featured several major refereeing decisions, most notably the dismissal of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who received a second yellow card for a challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi late in the second half.
Despite criticism of that decision and his overall performance, Vincic said he had no doubts about his officiating.
"I didn't have too many problems" with the post-match analysis, he said, adding: "I think the referee's strategy was correct."
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