Argentina’s furious reaction after losing the 2026 World Cup final looked remarkable. It also looked strangely familiar.

Spain’s World Cup celebrations had barely begun when the final descended into confrontation.

Following Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time defeat, tempers erupted after the final whistle. Leandro Paredes was sent off after full-time, several players became involved in clashes and FIFA appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate the scenes.

It was an ugly ending to Argentina’s attempt to retain the trophy.

It also wasn’t the first time an Argentina World Cup defeat had finished this way.

Twenty years earlier

At the 2006 World Cup, Argentina faced hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.

The match finished 1-1 after extra time before Germany won the penalty shootout 4-2.

Then the football stopped and the fighting started.

A mass confrontation broke out involving players and staff from both teams. Maxi Rodríguez was seen striking Bastian Schweinsteiger, while further clashes involved Gabriel Heinze, Oliver Bierhoff, Torsten Frings and Juan Pablo Sorín.

Argentina substitute Leandro Cufré was shown a red card despite never entering the match after kicking Germany defender Per Mertesacker.

FIFA later banned Cufré for four matches and Rodríguez for two. Germany’s Frings also received a one-match suspension for throwing a punch during the melee.

Different matches, familiar ending

The circumstances were not identical.

The 2006 confrontation followed a quarter-final penalty shootout against Germany. The 2026 scenes came after an extra-time defeat to Spain in the final.

But the images were difficult to ignore.

Argentina eliminated from a World Cup.

Opponents attempting to celebrate.

Players surrounding one another after full-time.

FIFA preparing disciplinary cases once the football had already finished.

Twenty years passed between the two defeats.

The opponents changed.

The stage changed.

The ending looked remarkably familiar.