Olaleye IDOWU
Argentina assistant coach and former defender, Roberto Ayala, has stated that he did not punch Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo as was widely reported.
However, Ayala said he intends to personally apologise to Olmo following their altercation after the 2026 final held in New Jersey on Sunday.
The Albiceleste’s defence of their World Cup title ended with a 1-0 defeat in extra time to La Roja, with Luis de la Fuente’s team netting the only goal of the match through Ferran Torres, assisted by fellow substitute Nico Williams, in the 106th minute.
Lionel Scaloni’s squad struggled for significant portions of the match, particularly after midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a foul on Pau Cubarsi, forcing them to compete with only 10 players throughout the entirety of extra time.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s remarkable performance, which included a record 11 saves in a World Cup final, kept his team in contention until Torres scored.
After the match concluded, tensions escalated between the two teams, with members of the Argentina coaching staff reportedly clashing with La Roja players.
Ayala, a former defender for the Albiceleste, expressed regret over his actions post-game, stating (as reported by El Partizado de COPE), “It was more of a push than anything else (translated from Spanish). It wasn’t a punch as they are trying to portray. If I encounter Dani Olmo, I will apologise to him in person.”
Ayala represented Argentina in three World Cups – in 1998, 2002, and 2006. His last appearance was alongside current head coach Lionel Scaloni and captain Lionel Messi, as Jose Pekerman’s team was eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals via penalties.
