Just hours before the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina (9:00 PM CET in the LIVE ticker), Aymeric Laporte makes headlines with strong statements. In an interview with "Marca," the Spanish centre-back criticized the opponent's tackling and warned against a physical approach from the Argentinians.
"In the last few games, we've seen things that really surprised us. Especially with Argentina, a team that sends many small messages with their tackles," Laporte said.
For the 32-year-old, the 2022 World Champion sometimes crosses a line: "That shouldn't be allowed in competitions like this, because it can take you out of the game and cause you to lose control of your emotions."
"A Lot Depends on the Referee's Performance"
Laporte sees the referee primarily responsible. Slovenian final referee Slavko Vincic must ensure the match doesn't get out of hand.
"It's the referee's job to keep such situations under control," explained the Spaniard.
At the same time, the defender emphasized that Spain deliberately pursues a different approach: "Since the beginning of the tournament, we've been a fair team in this regard. We are not a team that runs around, kicks opponents, or fouls recklessly."
Spain also intends to stick to its principles in the final: "I believe we must approach this World Cup final in the same way. But it's true that a lot will depend on the referee's performance."
Argentina with Most Fouls in World Cup
Laporte's criticism is not without reason. Argentina clearly leads the fouls statistics in this World Cup. In seven matches, the team committed a total of 88 fouls – more than any other team in the tournament.
Their physical approach was particularly noticeable in the knockout matches: Against Switzerland in the quarter-finals, 14 fouls and three yellow cards were recorded, while in the semi-finals against England, there were even 15 fouls, also resulting in three warnings. Argentina also played physically in the previous rounds against Egypt (13 fouls) and Cape Verde (13 fouls).
Notably: Despite 88 fouls, Argentina has only received eight yellow cards so far. The referees let many situations go and often did not sanction harder tackles with a warning.
Spain Also Not Squeamish – But Less Penalized
However, Spain is also not far behind in these statistics. Coach Luis de la Fuente's team committed a total of 80 fouls during the tournament so far and received six yellow cards for them.
The difference lies mainly in the perception of their playing style: While Spain relies more on possession and control, Argentina traditionally also employs aggressive tackles and tactical fouls to break the opponent's rhythm.
