Enzo Fernandez was sent off as Argentina suffered defeat to Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final, and both Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney have hammered the Chelsea midfielder.
Having picked up a yellow card early on, Fernandez went steaming into a challenge with Pau Cubarsi. The Blues midfielder, who continues to be linked with an exit, got there second with his studs showing.
Where would this Chelsea team finish? 👀
Some might have argued the tackle itself deserved more than a yellow, but the Chelsea star was shown a second yellow. It played a huge part in Argentina eventually losing to Spain, with Ferran Torres scoring.
The former Man City man nabbed the only goal of the game, but in truth, Spain deserved to beat Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina. Fernandez was largely to blame, and the Blues ace did not escape criticism.
Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer hammer Enzo Fernandez
During co-commentary, Shearer branded Fernandez as “stupid” and blamed him for what would turn out to be Argentina’s defeat: “He’s just cost his team massively,” Shearer said, during BBC Sport’s coverage.
“Because you know now, Argentina’s only hope is to take the game to penalties. Having already been on a yellow for something stupid, backchatting to the ref, and on a yellow, you can’t tackle like that. Stupid.”
Rooney echoed Shearer’s sentiment. The Man United legend has some experience of being sent off in a World Cup game, but Rooney had little sympathy for the Chelsea man during his immediate analysis.
Rooney said: “Silly tackle. He’s obviously a little bit late to it, on a yellow card you cannot just dangle your leg out. It gives the opposition to get a red card, and it’s silly from Fernandez. It makes it very difficult.”
How many players have been sent off in a World Cup final?
Six red cards in total now, with Fernandez’s sending off. Incredibly, three of which have been shown to Argentina players. Back in the 1990 final, Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti were both shown the red.
Enzo Fernandez needs to leave Chelsea for the good of the club 👋🏻
Thoughts?
It resulted in a 1-0 win for West Germany. The next two were shown to French players; Marcel Desailly in 1998 and Zinedine Zidane in 2006, the latter for his headbutt as Italy went on to win on penalties.
Four years later, Jonny Heitinga received his marching orders for the Netherlands as Spain won their first World Cup title. Now, Fernandez joins that six-man list of players to be sent off in a World Cup final.
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