The controversy intensified due to the composition of the refereeing team. Vinčić was not the only Slovenian appointed: assistant referees Tomaž Klančnik and Andraž Kovačič also made up the officiating team.
Thus, FIFA left the World Cup final completely in the hands of referees from the same country as the UEFA president, which amplified the controversy.
The political context of international football was also a relevant factor. For years, there have been differences between UEFA and FIFA, presided over by Gianni Infantino, and the appointment of a compatriot referee of Čeferin was a possible attempt to reestablish the relationship between both entities.
These versions gained more strength in a scenario marked by the FIFA elections scheduled for March 18, 2027, in which, according to reports, the European body sought to prevent Infantino's reelection.
Criticism of Vinčić was not limited solely to the final of the 2026 World Cup. Throughout his career, the referee has been appointed to officiate numerous high-level matches in competitions organized by UEFA.
In this context, the coincidence that Argentina's only two defeats in World Cups under Scaloni's leadership had the same referee as a protagonist became a central point in the subsequent analysis.
