Why Marc Cucurella wasn't sent off after covering mouth while speaking to Lionel Messi in World Cup final

Despite protests from Lionel Messi, Marc Cucurella was not sent off during the 2026 World Cup final due to one specific rule.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is now in the history books and, after a lacklustre final, Spain are the champions of the world.

Despite dominating the entire match, it took the Euro 2024 champions 106 minutes to score the winning goal, as Ferran Torres scored in the second period of extra time.

The goal will remain the standout moment of what was a far cry from the dramatic final that we saw four years ago in Qatar.

But it wasn't the only dramatic moment in the match, as Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was sent off in the final moments of normal time after being shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi.

Later in the match, Argentina star Messi attempted to again equal the field by demanding that Spain also had a player sent off after Real Madrid's Cucurella approached the football legend to speak while covering his mouth.

As has been demonstrated on several occasions this summer, any player who covers their mouth with a hand, arm or shirt during a confrontation is liable to be shown a red card.

Earlier in the tournament, both Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron and Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie were shown red cards for similar offences.

In this instance, Cucurella was seen talking to Messi before briefly covering his mouth and then removing his hand.

Immediately, Messi began gesturing to match referee Slavko Vincic, clearly asking for the defender to be sent off.

But, the rules also state that a player should only be sent off if there are malicious words exchanged and, in this case, it was deemed that this hand't happened.

This is why several other players have been seen covering their mouths during non-confrontational conversations, often between teammates, that haven't resulted in red cards.

READ MORE: FIFA officially break laws of football during World Cup final

Lionel Messi slammed for Marc Cucurella exchange in World Cup final

Shortly after the moment fans took to social media to call out Messi for his behaviour in the final, saying that it was petty and unnecessary.

BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan described it as "desperation from Messi" while Wayne Rooney said: "It is. Argentina play like that, we know that's what they do. The one thing you want is good sportsmanship. That was sad to see, Lionel Messi doing that."

Joe Hart added: "Yeah I didn't enjoy that at all from Messi. He realises how on top Spain are in this final Gabby, if even Lionel Messi's reverting to that."

But fellow BBC pundit Micah Richards came to Messi's defence, claiming: "There's not much [in that]. He's not got his full hand over, it was half wasn't it? You don't want to see people getting sent off in a World Cup final for that."