Spain’s World Cup final against Argentina took a turn under bright lights after Mikel Merino fouled Nicolás Otamendi midway through the match. The referee whistled a foul and ruled out what would have been Spain’s equalizer, giving the opposition the advantage. Merino also strong blow to the face from Lionel Messi, yet stayed on the field while Spain clung to a slim lead with solid defence. Critics questioned the team’s tactics through the pivotal moment of the match.