Vinčić finally speaks after the final

Slavko Vinčić has broken his silence on the turbulent 2026 World Cup final, revealing how he managed the intense contest between Spain and Argentina. The Slovenian official ended his refereeing career shortly after Spain secured a 1-0 extra-time victory at New York New Jersey Stadium.

“The responsibility is enormous when your entire refereeing career comes down to a single match,” Vinčić said. “I knew that most of the work would involve managing the game: when to stop it and when to allow the action to continue.”

According to Cadena SER’s report, the 46-year-old believed controlling the players’ emotions was more challenging than making individual technical decisions. The final featured 45 fouls, numerous confrontations and the dismissal of Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández.

The Messi conversation he will not reveal

Vinčić regularly spoke with Messi during the match because the forward was Argentina’s captain. Television footage showed the pair exchanging words on several occasions, particularly as frustration increased during the closing stages of normal time.

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However, when Vinčić was asked what Messi had said to him, the referee declined to provide any details. His response immediately created another mystery around a final already filled with disputed incidents and emotional confrontations.

“My conversation with Messi? I will leave that conversation on the pitch,” Vinčić said. “But I can say that his conduct was correct and sporting.”

Messi demanded action against Cucurella

One of the most visible exchanges occurred shortly after Fernández received his second yellow card. The midfielder was dismissed in stoppage time after arriving late and making contact with Pau Cubarsí, leaving Argentina with ten players before extra time.

Moments later, Messi appealed for Marc Cucurella to be punished after the Spanish defender briefly raised a hand towards his face while speaking. Argentina’s captain appeared to believe Cucurella had covered his mouth during a confrontation, an action that had led to dismissals earlier in the tournament under FIFA’s new interpretation.

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Replays did not establish that Cucurella had committed the same offence, and Vinčić rejected Argentina’s appeal. According to Cadena SER’s refereeing analysis, former international referee Eduardo Iturralde González initially warned that a deliberate mouth-covering confrontation could require a red card, but the available footage did not support Messi’s claim.

‘The reactions of the players are different’

Vinčić admitted that an ordinary approach could not be applied to a World Cup final. With the trophy at stake, he expected normally controlled players to react more emotionally to tackles, disciplinary decisions and moments capable of defining their careers.

“It is the World Cup final,” he said. “The mentality and the reactions of the players are different, and given the importance of the match, you have to understand everything.”

“The greatest challenge is managing everything correctly during the match,” Vinčić added. He attempted to allow physical play without losing control, although his approach divided opinion in Spain and Argentina after the final.

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Enzo Fernández decision changed the final

Fernández’s dismissal was Vinčić’s biggest disciplinary decision. The midfielder had already been booked for dissent before receiving a second yellow card for his challenge on Cubarsí near the end of normal time.

The Chelsea player arrived late and caught the Spanish defender as Cubarsí attempted to play the ball. Vinčić immediately produced another yellow card, leaving Argentina to contest the entire period of extra time with ten men.

Former referee Iturralde González supported the decision and said the challenge clearly warranted a booking, although not a straight red card. “He arrives late, catches him with the knee and that is it. It is a clear yellow card,” he said.

Referee insists his strategy worked

Despite the controversy, Vinčić believes his officiating team handled the match successfully. He said he was particularly satisfied that the referee was not the central subject of discussion immediately after Spain lifted the trophy.

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“We were not the topic of conversation after the match, which shows that overall we did our work well,” he said. “I believe our refereeing strategy was the correct one.”

That assessment will divide supporters who criticised his permissive handling of the early challenges and the disorder that followed the final whistle. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, however, refused to blame the referee for the defeat and publicly accepted that Spain had been the better team.

Retirement announced just one week later

Vinčić officially retired one week after the final, ending a career in which he officiated more than 500 matches. The announcement was made by the Slovenian Football Association, which described his World Cup appointment as the crowning achievement of a historic career.

“A week after the World Cup final in the United States, Slavko Vinčić has officially ended his historic refereeing career at the very top of the sport,” the federation said, as quoted by EFE. There has been no evidence that his retirement was caused by criticism of the final, and the timing appears to have reflected a decision to leave after reaching the highest possible appointment.

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Vinčić had been an international referee since 2010 and became the first Slovenian to oversee a World Cup final. He had previously controlled the 2022 Europa League final and Real Madrid’s victory over Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 Champions League final.

Awards followed despite the criticism

Vinčić left the tournament with significant recognition from within the refereeing world. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics named him the best referee of the 2026 World Cup, citing his control and authority across four matches.

As described by FIFA before the final, Pierluigi Collina personally informed Vinčić that he had been selected for the match. The Slovenian became emotional when receiving the news and described the appointment as an “incredible honour”.

His final appearance ensured that he departed at the highest point of his profession. Yet his refusal to reveal what Messi told him means one of the most intriguing exchanges of the World Cup final will remain between the captain and the referee.