Both against Saudi Arabia in Qatar 2022 and against Spain in the final of the 2026 World Cup, the matches were officiated by the controversial Slovenian
The cycle of Lionel Scaloni at the helm of the Argentine National Team is one of the most successful in modern football, with numbers that support his historic management.
With 104 matches coached, he achieved 76 victories, 18 draws, and only 10 losses, representing an effectiveness of 78%. This journey includes four titles (Copa América 2021, Finalissima 2022, World Cup Qatar 2022, and Copa América 2024) and a historic unbeaten streak of 36 matches.
However, within this overwhelmingly positive balance, there is a specific detail that stands out: in World Cup tournaments, the team led by Scaloni lost only two matches.
Lionel Scaloni
The first was in the debut of the World Cup in Qatar 2022, with a 1-2 loss to Saudi Arabia in the opening match of Group C. The second occurred in the final of the 2026 World Cup, with the controversial 0-1 defeat against Spain.
Both matches share a particularity: they were officiated by the same referee, the Slovenian Slavko Vinčić. This coincidence became one of the recent controversies, especially after the final played against the Spanish national team.
European and Anti-Argentina
The appointment of Vinčić for the decisive match of the 2026 World Cup had already generated controversy beforehand. After Spain's 1-0 victory, the debate was reignited.
One of the main focal points of criticism was related to his relationship with Aleksander Čeferin, president of UEFA, the confederation to which the champion team belongs.
Both are from Slovenia and maintain a close bond within European football. Čeferin has presided over UEFA since 2016, while Vinčić is the most important international referee from his country and has been part of the elite of continental refereeing for years. This coincidence of nationality is an element that raised questions before the match.
Slavko Vinčić
In various sectors of international refereeing, the choice of the Slovenian for such a significant match was also questioned, as there were other candidates with more experience in finals of this level.
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.
