Spain centre-back Aymeric Laporte has accused Argentina of over-celebrating their semi-final win against England, claiming the reigning World Cup champions lack humility and rely on 'dark arts'. Laporte, speaking ahead of Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, said Argentina's antics, including an early elbow from Enzo Fernandez on Elliot Anderson and substitute Valentin Barco's confrontational celebration with Jude Bellingham, should not be tolerated in football.
Laporte's Criticism of Argentina's Behaviour
Laporte, who has played every minute of Spain's World Cup campaign, said: 'I'm not at all worried about aggression in football. If it's tolerated and the referee does his job, I have no problem with it. It's true that in recent matches we've seen things that have surprised us greatly, actions that are allowed to go unpunished. Especially against Argentina, a team that leaves a lot of marks.'
He added that such behaviour can destabilize opponents and called on Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic to control the match. 'That shouldn't be allowed in football, especially in such big competitions, because it can destabilise and frustrate you. It's part of the referee's job to control these things so they don't get taken advantage of. If one or two players can do that, the match will be chaotic.'
Spain's Approach to the Final
Laporte contrasted Spain's fair play with Argentina's tactics: 'From the beginning of the tournament, we've been a fairly fair team in that sense. We don't go around hitting opponents or committing reckless fouls. And I think that's what we have to do in this match. But it's true that it will depend a lot on the refereeing.'
The 32-year-old also questioned Argentina's emotional celebrations after beating England, noting they still have a final to play. 'That's exactly what I just said: we don't want to do things halfway. It's true that many people didn't believe in us from the beginning, but we did believe in our abilities and we know we have the capacity to achieve it.'
Laporte's Journey and Form
Laporte, who left Manchester City for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia before rejoining Athletic Bilbao via a special FIFA transfer, has been a key figure for Spain. After missing half of the qualification campaign, he has played every minute of the World Cup, helping Spain reach the final against Argentina.
