Enzo Fernandez sent off during Spain vs Argentina; Full list of players to get red cards in a FIFA World Cup final
Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was sent off following a second yellow card in the FIFA World cup 2026 final against Spain on the third minute of stoppage time.
Enzo Fernandez became the third Argentinean and sixth overall to be sent off in a final match of a FIFA World Cup on Monday at the MetLife Stadium. The incident took place on the third minute of stoppage time when the trailing leg of Fernandez caught Spain's Pau Cubarsi as the 19-year-old went flying. Having already on a yellow card, the referee showed a second yellow card to Fernandez which resulted in a red card.
Fernandez thus became the third Argentinean after Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti to be shown red cards in the final of a World Cup. Both Monzon and Dezotti got red cards against West Germany in the 1990 edition. In fact, Monzon was the first player in history to be sent off in a World Cup summit clash.
Before Fernandez, Dutch John Heitinga was shown the red card during the 2010 World Cup final against Spain at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.
Red cards in a FIFA World Cup final
| Player | World Cup edition | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Pedro Monzón (Argentina) | 1990 | West Germany |
| Gustavo Dezotti (Argentina) | 1990 | West Germany |
| Marcel Desailly (France) | 1998 | Brazil |
| Zinedine Zidane (France) | 2006 | Italy |
| John Heitinga (Netherlands) | 2010 | Spain |
| Enzo Fernandez (Argentina) | 2026 | Spain |
Argentina's golden run comes to an end
Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game as Spain beat 10-man Argentina 1-0 after extra-time to win their second World Cup. The European champions dominated the match at the MetLife Stadium but struggled to find a breakthrough against the streetwise defending champions.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a string of saves to deny Spain, but the match changed complexion in second-half stoppage-time when midfielder Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow.
Extra-time followed a familiar pattern, with Spain probing for the opening goal against a deep-lying Argentina. The breakthrough eventually came in the early moments of the second period of extra-time when substitute Torres finished crisply following a brilliant knock-back by Nico Williams.
Luis de la Fuente's Spain conceded just one goal in seven matches on their way to the final, suffocating opponents with their slick possession game. The Argentines were toothless in attack and did not have a shot on or off target for 115 minutes. At 65 years old, De la Fuente became the oldest World Cup-winning coach. Torres was a substitute in the 62nd minute.
Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.
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