Vincic opens up on 2026 World Cup final pressure and praises Messi’s conduct

Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic has spoken publicly for the first time about officiating the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, describing Lionel Messi’s behaviour on the pitch as “sporting” and reflecting on the intense pressure surrounding his last match before retirement.

Vincic, who has now ended his refereeing career, took charge of the showpiece in which Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time, in a final marked by several contentious incidents.

In an interview with Slovenian newspaper Sport, Vincic was asked directly about his exchanges with Argentina captain Messi during the match. He declined to reveal the details of their conversations but moved to quell any speculation among supporters about the nature of the dialogue.

“I will leave that conversation on the pitch,” he said. “But I can say that Messi behaved in a sporting manner.”

The 44-year-old was widely reported to have faced intense scrutiny over some of his decisions in the final, which brought together two of the game’s traditional powerhouses in a tight, tactical contest ultimately settled in extra time.

‘At first it was a shock’

Speaking about being selected to referee the tournament’s biggest match, Vincic admitted the appointment initially took him by surprise before giving way to a deep sense of pride.

“Initially it was a shock,” he said, in comments also carried by Spanish outlet Marca. “Then I felt proud of our refereeing team, which would represent Slovenia on this important stage, at the biggest sporting event in the world. I also felt proud of the Slovenian Football Association and the refereeing committee.”

Vincic said he fully understood the magnitude of the job from the moment he was informed he would oversee the final.

“I knew it was a big responsibility,” he added. “We had to be worthy of this trust and bring the match to a successful conclusion.”

The official acknowledged that the high-stakes nature of a World Cup final, particularly between Spain and Argentina, created an exceptional level of pressure for him and his assistants.

“This World Cup match put enormous pressure on the refereeing team, given the importance of a clash between two global football powers,” he said.

Career distilled into one match

Vincic admitted he felt as though his long refereeing career had been compressed into the 120 minutes of the final, where every decision was under the microscope of players, coaches, fans and global television audiences.

“An entire refereeing career is condensed into a single match,” he reflected. “The responsibility is enormous, although I believe our strategy was correct.”

He did not go into detail on individual incidents from the game but stressed that he and his team had approached the final with a clear plan and a strong collective mindset, aiming to justify FIFA’s confidence in appointing a Slovenian crew to handle the biggest fixture in international football.

VAR ‘indispensable’ in modern game

Vincic also used the interview to defend the central role of VAR in the modern game, insisting that technology has become essential for top-level refereeing.

“A mistake can be corrected by reviewing the footage,” he said. “With the speed of modern football, it is impossible to see everything. I cannot imagine refereeing without the help of technology.”

He argued that the use of VAR in matches such as the World Cup final reduces the likelihood of decisive officiating errors and provides a safety net for referees operating in increasingly demanding conditions.

Vincic’s comments draw a line under his international career, which reached its peak in the 2026 final. While he has chosen not to disclose the exact words exchanged with Messi in one of the defining images of the match, his insistence that the Argentina captain acted “in a sporting manner” appears aimed at calming any lingering debate over their interaction on football’s biggest stage.