Spain sees Argentina as 'Netherlands of 2010' in World Cup final

Spanish football fans are shocked by Argentina's aggressive playing style in the World Cup final. According to them, the team resembles the Dutch squad from 2010, which became infamous for its hard play during the final against Spain. 'This is Spain-Netherlands 2.0. What a terrible final,' it sounds from Spain.

What happened in the final?

In the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, there was much frustration among the Spaniards. Argentina played as hard as the Netherlands did in 2010, according to them. Violations by players such as Alexis MacAllister and Enzo Fernández were barely punished by the referee. The Spaniards still remember well the karate kick by Nigel de Jong on Xabi Alonso in 2010.

Why is this important for the Netherlands?

The comparison with the Netherlands from 2010 is striking. The Dutch team was then infamous for its hard play, which received a lot of criticism. Now the Spaniards see the same aggression in Argentina. It is interesting to see how history repeats itself.

What's next for the Netherlands?

The Netherlands recently drew with Morocco (1-1 on June 30, 2026) and are unbeaten in their last five matches (4W-1D-0L). The next match is at home against Germany on September 24, 2026. It will be exciting to see how the Dutch team will develop in the run-up to the next important matches.