Spain assistant slapped Dani Olmo in World Cup final melee, admits Argentina coach Ayala as he promises personal apology

Roberto Ayala, assistant coach to Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni, has admitted he was wrong to strike Spain forward Dani Olmo during chaotic scenes after the 2026 World Cup final – and has vowed to apologise to the player face to face.

Ayala, a former Argentina captain and now a key member of the Albiceleste backroom staff, has come under intense scrutiny after TV cameras showed him appearing to slap Olmo in the immediate aftermath of Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina in New York.

The incident occurred amid scuffles between players and coaching staff from both sides seconds after Spain secured their second World Cup, thanks to a Ferran Torres goal.

‘I take full responsibility’

Speaking to Valencia station Capital Radio, Ayala said emotions had boiled over but insisted that was no excuse for his behaviour.

“I saw a scuffle in the middle of the pitch, so we went over to try to pull our players away and prevent things from escalating,” he said.

“I take full responsibility for what I did. My only intention was to separate the players, nothing more. Sometimes the atmosphere is charged and emotions run high, but that is no justification, especially given the position I hold, which requires me to behave better.”

Addressing his clash with the RB Leipzig midfielder directly, Ayala played down the severity of the altercation but accepted he overstepped the line.

“What happened was just a push, not a punch as was said. It was a reaction to something he said to me,” Ayala explained. “And if I meet Dani Olmo I will apologise to him personally.”

Claims of campaign against Argentina

Ayala argued the post-match flashpoint had been blown out of proportion and suggested Argentina were being unfairly targeted in the aftermath of the final.

“Situations like this have happened thousands of times in football, but I don’t know why recently there seems to be some kind of campaign or desire to see our national team in a bad light,” he said.

“I am sorry, and I must not allow my emotions or any provocation from the other side to affect my actions. Everyone can make mistakes, but what matters is to apologise and accept the consequences.”

‘We need real journalism’

The 53-year-old also rejected suggestions that Argentina deliberately snubbed Spain’s title celebrations after the final whistle.

“There are those who are trying to look for anything to present a negative image of Argentina, while they ignore many positive actions from Spanish players. We need real journalism,” Ayala said.

He explained that Argentina’s squad headed towards the stands for reasons unrelated to Spain’s trophy moment.

“Some members of our families faced problems in the stands, so we went to them, and we also wanted to thank the fans who came and supported us,” he said.

Referee backed and Spain praised

Ayala defended Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, whose performance had been questioned in some quarters in Argentina after the defeat.

“He did his job. Maybe he let some small fouls go and allowed play to continue, but we cannot say the referee was bad,” Ayala said. “Officiating a World Cup final is not easy, and I think he managed the match well.”

He ended his interview by paying tribute to Luis de la Fuente’s Spain side, who claimed their second World Cup title after their triumph in 2010.

“When you lose to a team, you have to learn from the experience. Spain played beautiful football throughout the World Cup, and in the end they won the title because they deserved it,” Ayala said.

Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina, sealed by Ferran Torres’ goal, delivered a historic second World Cup crown for La Roja and denied Argentina a successful defence of the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022.