Enzo Fernandez should have been 'sent off' before Pau Cubarsi clash - ex-FIFA ref

Enzo Fernandez was lucky to still be on the pitch when being sent off in Argentina's defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that the Chelsea star escaped serious punishment for dissent on Sunday, 19 July.

In the 82nd minute, the 25-year-old had his name taken after screaming at referee Slavko Vincic, having not been awarded a foul on the halfway line.

Fernandez was clearly infuriated by the decision. As Vincic cautioned him, he sarcastically applauded the referee, but that appeared to slip under the radar.

In the Premier League, this would have automatically been a second yellow card, and therefore, a red card, but he would have to wait for his marching orders.

Just moments from the full-time whistle, Fernandez went charging into Pau Cubarsi, leaving the Barcelona gem in a world of pain, and the Chelsea man walking down the tunnel.

Enzo Fernandez's dissent raises red flags in World Cup final

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett that Vincic's reluctance to show a red card saved Fernandez from embarrassment on the biggest stage of them all.

"I think that he was fortunate, but I think that there's always, in a final, a reluctance to some degree to issue a red card," he said.

"And I think that we saw that this referee was in those opening stages and right up to this fairly lenient with his approach.

"What was said was pretty robust, which caused the reaction of the referee, who was clearly, with his body language, very unhappy with what he said.

"So on that first point, I wondered if that in itself, what was said to the referee, was sufficient to warrant a reaction and the possibility of a red card?

"I think it's likely that the referee didn't see the player applauding because I think he was concerned about getting the game restarted.

"From a VAR point of view, they were right not to come in. So, I think generally in a final of this nature, this player was fortunate."

Lionel Scaloni only has himself to blame vs Spain

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett put the blame on Argentina's manager, Lionel Scaloni, for not substituting the player.

"I would say the manager, if he's seen that, has a choice. A choice to get a message to that player to improve his discipline," he said.

"And a choice for the captain of the team to do likewise. They didn't. Had he done that, there might have been consideration of substituting him to prevent the red card."

Sadly for Scaloni, he had used all of his substitutions. So, his only solution was to get a message across to his player, but that clearly didn't happen or didn't work.