Referee Slavko Vincic begged Argentina captain Lionel Messi to control midfielder Leandro Paredes during last month's World Cup final victory for Spain, newly released footage reveals.
Audio captured on the referee camera shows Slovenian official Vincic asking Messi to intervene before Paredes became involved in violent clashes after the final whistle in the match against Spain.
In the recording, Vincic can be heard saying: "Messi, control Paredes. I don't want to... he has yellow. Control please. Always, always."
Paredes, who entered as a half-time substitute and received a yellow card six minutes later, made it to full-time before losing his cool. The 32-year-old grabbed Spanish defender Eric Garcia by the neck, pushed midfielder Gavi to the ground, and appeared to throw punches following Argentina's defeat.
The midfielder was also fortunate not to receive a red card towards the end of normal time for a separate foul during the match.
World football governing body FIFA has since launched disciplinary proceedings against Paredes over the unsavoury scenes. The midfielder faces three counts of assault as well as a charge of unsporting behaviour.
The referee camera footage also captured Vincic receiving his medal from former United States President Donald Trump during the post-match presentation, where Trump told the official he did a "great job."
The FIFA World Cup final is international football's premier fixture, held every four years to determine the world champion. Argentina, led by eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, were aiming to defend the trophy they won in 2022 before falling to European champions Spain.
Domestic flashpoint at Boca Juniors
Paredes has since returned to club duty in Argentina, appearing for Boca Juniors in a 2-2 draw away against Newell's Old Boys two weeks ago in the Argentine Primera Division Torneo Clausura.
The 32-year-old produced another flashpoint during the encounter while Boca Juniors trailed 2-1 to the hosts on 68 minutes. Paredes started an on-pitch melee by deliberately kicking the ball at an opponent who had just been fouled and had his back turned while getting up.
Angry players from Newell's Old Boys confronted Paredes over the act before the referee brandished a yellow card to the midfielder.
Following the World Cup final loss, Paredes indicated he may retire from international football. Speaking to ESPN, he said: "For many, it will be the time to decide if to continue. It was a great journey. Maintaining that level, getting the group to continue to function as it has, will be very difficult, and there are many factors to consider."
He added: "Decisions must be taken calmly. I don't know yet if I'm ready to continue. It's a process that takes time to assimilate and mature. It will take time to digest what we've been through. The pain of losing the World Cup final will stay with us for a long time, because we came so close once again. I think we played in a World Cup where people saw themselves in us, and that's very rewarding. In that sense, I'happy."
Enzo Fernandez faces mixed reaction at Chelsea
Meanwhile, Argentina team-mate Enzo Fernandez experienced a frosty reception upon returning to club duty for English Premier League side Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London.
The World Cup runner-up started on the bench, where his name was greeted with expected boos when read out over the public address system prior to kick-off.
The atmosphere turned bizarre when Fernandez was introduced after an hour to replace Reece James, wearing the captain's armband for the final 30 minutes. Sections of the crowd booed him while others proudly sang his name, a split that continued whenever he handled the ball in midfield.
Fernandez has been stuck in a complex situation at Chelsea since March, when he alerted the football world that he dreams of playing for Spanish giants Real Madrid. Then-manager Liam Rosenior took umbrage at the comments and dropped him for two matches in response.
Manchester City emerged as front-runners to sign Fernandez during the summer transfer window. However, Chelsea set suitors an unofficial deadline of 5pm on Friday to submit a sufficient offer, wanting their squad finalized ahead of their Premier League opener against Fulham on August 24.
Although the Friday deadline passed without an offer, it remains to be seen whether a £120 million bid before the transfer window closes on September 1 would test Chelsea's resolve, leaving Stamford Bridge supporters uncertain how to feel.
