Mario Alberto Kempes, Argentine football legend and 1978 World Cup champion, broke his silence. Amid the storm of rumors that shook social media after the national team’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, El Matador stepped in to curb the speculation. In a video posted to his official accounts, the former striker directly targeted those talking about a supposed «fix» in the decisive match.
«I want to tell you something brief. You know what it meant for me to wear the Argentine jersey: there is nothing greater that can happen to a player than to represent his country. And I had that luck,» Kempes began, visibly upset. The tone of the message was direct, no beating around the bush. El Matador made it clear that the conspiracy theories circulating without evidence are damaging to football and to the image of the national team.
«It was noticeable that the team was not at the level of the previous three. And that happens in football, that’s how it is: there are better days and worse days. I experienced it many times, but you have to move forward,» the former footballer acknowledged, without dodging the reality of a performance below expectations. But then he drew the line: «A team that lowers its level in one game is not the same as one that doesn’t compete. Those versions floating around without any proof do no one any good.»
Kempes was emphatic: «So I ask you, if we want to be demanding with the team, let’s be, but let’s not give credence to anything that circulates without foundation. This jersey is respected in good times and bad, so let’s go forever.» A message that, without saying it explicitly, targets the most radicalized sectors of the fanbase who, in the heat of defeat, began to sow doubts about the legitimacy of the result.
El Matador was present at the World Cup from start to finish. Not only did he cheer from the stands, but on the eve of the final, he entered the MetLife Stadium pitch alongside Andrés Iniesta, Spain’s star in 2010, to display the trophy to the fans. A moving moment that united two generations and that, paradoxically, is now used by some to fuel controversy.
Kempes knows what he’s talking about. In the 1978 World Cup, the first Argentina won, he was the top scorer with six goals and a key figure in the final against the Netherlands, where he scored two goals in the 3-1 victory. His word carries weight, and that’s why he chose this moment to speak. It’s no coincidence that he came out to support the players just when they need it most.
Today, the former striker lives in the United States with his wife Julia. Between his work as a commentator for the Spanish league on ESPN and his personal projects, he doesn’t lose sight of what’s happening in Argentina. In a recent interview, he confessed: «Every time I go to Argentina, they tell me: ‘How nice the United States is!’ But living here means working: there is order, yes, but if you don’t do things right, you end up in debt up to your eyeballs.»
Meanwhile, social media continues to rage. But Kempes has already set things straight: the Argentine jersey is respected, always.
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para mi estos zurdos de mierda ya no saben q inventar kempes tiene toda la razon la scaloneta juega con huevos y el q piense lo contrario es un traidor basta de teorias pelotudas aguante argentina carajo
Para mí Kempes tiene razón pero le falta calle: estos giles que hablan de arreglo son unos vendepatria, la Scaloneta es del pueblo, se cayó un partido y ya salen los cagones a plantar dudas. No nos hagamos eco de esa mierda pero esto huele a guerra contra los oligarcas del fútbol, ¡a no bajar los brazos!