Good Morning Britain hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid returned on Monday (July 20) to discuss the World Cup 2026 final, where Spain defeated Argentina in a tense match that ended in brawls. Balls called the Argentine team 'a total bunch of thugs' and 'shocking,' while Reid described their behavior as 'absolutely appalling.'
Spain wins after violent clash
The final, held in New Jersey, saw Argentina's Fernandez receive a red card for a late challenge that sent Cubarsi somersaulting through the air. As Spain celebrated their victory, fights broke out among Argentina players. Kevin Maguire, a guest on the show, said: 'Argentina are kind of a fantastic team... but the dirty side - the little niggles, the pushing, the studs up - you've got to tackle that, because it's ruining the game.'
Half-time show criticized
The discussion shifted to the 15-minute half-time show, featuring Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Chris Martin. BBC pundit Wayne Rooney called it 'crap' and 'too flat.' Viewers on X (formerly Twitter) also criticized it, with one writing: 'Boycotting the Halftime show... this is football, not the Super Bowl.' Another said: 'Right that's the TV off for 30 minutes.' However, some fans praised it, tweeting: 'Madonna + Ronaldos + Music = ICONIC.'
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am.
