Franco Colapinto praised Spain after their World Cup final victory over Argentina but strongly criticised some of the celebrations, describing the burning of a Lionel Messi shirt as “shameful”. The Alpine Formula 1 driver addressed the incident during the media activities ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina remains a major subject of discussion, including in Hungary, where Formula 1 is racing this weekend. Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso and Argentina’s Franco Colapinto were selected to attend the press conference before the event.
The two Spanish drivers reflected calmly on the final from the perspective of the winning nation. Colapinto, however, was considerably more critical and directed strong words towards the Spain supporters who, in his view, had taken their celebrations too far.
Franco Colapinto praises Spain and Argentina after World Cup final
The Spain-Argentina final may not have been unforgettable from a technical perspective, but it delivered plenty of drama. Ferran Torres decided the match with a goal in extra time, securing what was considered a deserved result after Spain had shown greater attacking intent.
Franco Colapinto acknowledged Spain’s superiority while also expressing pride in Argentina’s performance.
“I am proud of my team. The entire squad represented us well,” Colapinto said.
He then added with a touch of pride: “Seeing two Spanish-speaking nations in the final is fantastic.”
The crossover between Formula 1 and football became an additional talking point ahead of the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, with three drivers representing the two countries involved in the final appearing together at the press conference.
Colapinto condemns Lionel Messi shirt-burning incident
Colapinto’s conciliatory tone did not last, as he still had concerns to express about the conduct of some supporters. He was particularly unhappy with celebrations that targeted Argentina and the country’s leading football figure, Lionel Messi.
“It was not nice to see certain things, and it was not nice to show them to the public,” Franco Colapinto said. “Seeing Messi’s shirt being burned is not nice. In fact, it was shameful to see something like that.”
Although the Alpine driver accepted that Spain had deserved to win the tournament, he urged supporters to celebrate in a different way.
“Never mind. I think Spain were deserving winners, but I hope they become a little more creative in the way they celebrate,” he added.
World Cup final remains a talking point in the F1 paddock
A football World Cup final inevitably leaves behind strong emotions and controversy, particularly when two countries with such a passionate sporting culture meet for the trophy.
The scenes following the match included incidents involving Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina, whose gestures were described as unacceptable, as well as the burning of a shirt belonging to Lionel Messi.
For Colapinto, Spain’s sporting achievement was not in question. His criticism focused instead on the excesses that followed the final and on celebrations he believed had crossed the line from supporting the winners into disrespecting Argentina.
The Argentine driver will now turn his attention back to Formula 1 and the Hungaroring, with every opportunity during the weekend carrying importance for his position in the Formula 1 driver standings.
Leave a Reply