The World Cup Final Referee Breaks His Silence on Messi: 'He Behaved Sportingly'
Slavko Vincic broke his silence after the 2026 World Cup final and revealed details of his on-pitch conversation with Messi.
The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina has already gone down in history — and the referee who officiated the match has finally decided to speak.
Slavko Vincic, the Slovenian chosen by FIFA to take charge of the biggest game on the planet, gave an interview to Slovenian outlet Sport shortly after announcing his retirement. And of course: the first question was about Messi.
What did the two of them say to each other on the pitch? Vincic didn't give everything away, but he was direct: "I'll leave that conversation on the field of play. But I can say that Messi behaved sportingly," the referee stated, according to Marca.
For anyone hoping for controversy, the referee closed the door with elegance.
Vincic also opened up about what it meant to be selected for the final: "At first it was a shock. Then I felt proud of our refereeing team," he said, describing the feeling of representing Slovenia at the world's biggest sporting event.
The pressure, he admitted, was enormous: "An entire refereeing career ends up reduced to a single match," he revealed. But the Slovenian insists the approach was the right one — and the game reached its conclusion without any major controversy surrounding the officiating.
Spain lifted the trophy. Argentina, runners-up, left with their heads held high. And Vincic closes his career with the most important final in football on his résumé.
Now that the referee has spoken, one question remains: what did Messi say that stayed buried on that pitch?