Midfielder's Match Earning Two Yellow Cards, Arguably Costing Argentina Final Loss to Spain
Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez suffered one of his worst performances in the World Cup final, earning two yellow cards and ultimately a red card. This sequence of bookings may have decided the 1-0 loss to Spain for the defending champions.
Fernandez, who earlier rescued Argentina from elimination following England’s 2-1 victory over Brazil, found himself under intense scrutiny in the final against Spain. Before the match was over, he had committed a late tackle on Pau Cubarsi and was sent off for his second yellow card in stoppage time.
—Argentine Media Ratings and Criticism
The reactions from local press were overwhelmingly negative. La Nacion gave Fernandez a four out of ten, arguing that he played out of sync and never looked comfortable. Ole's player ratings also rated him poorly with a mere 4/10, asserting that the 25-year-old’s performance was significantly compromised after adopting a more defensive position to play