Flaco López was the only Argentine player who didn't turn his back to Spain in controversial moment
While all the other Argentine players looked away, López stood still and respectfully watched Spain celebrate.
A lot has been said about Argentina's unsportsmanlike behaviour to Spain after losing the World Cup final on Sunday, particularly the violent actions after the match of Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala, who punched Dani Olmo.
Another controversial moment happened when Spain captain Rodri lifted the World Cup, with all the Argentine players looking the other away and giving their backs, something that was criticised for being disrespectful. But... not all of them did that: after closer inspection, only one Argentine player turned around and looked at the Spanish celebration: Flaco López.
And as we can see on videos, it wasn't a quick glance: López stands still, in the same line as all his colleagues, but looking in the direction of the Spanish players celebrating, as it is tradition. All the rest, including Leo Messi, were instead looking at their fans in the stands.
José Manuel López, known as Flaco López, is a 25-year-old striker who plays for Portuguese club Palmeiras since 2022, and made his debut with Argentina in August 2025. He is perhaps one of the lesser known players in the squad, and only made two appearances as a substitute, most importantly contributing in Julián Álvarez's goal against Switzerland in quarter-finals.
However, with his gesture, he has earned the praise and respect of the world, the only one respectful enough to watch their rivals celebrate their trophy... or the only one with enough character to break the norm in the squad.
