Slavko Vincic concluded his refereeing career following his pivotal role in the 2026 World Cup final, ending his tenure on soccer’s biggest stage. After Spain’s dramatic triumph over Argentina, the Slovenian referee addressed his on-field interactions with Lionel Messi during the high-stakes encounter.
One week post-final at MetLife Stadium, the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS) officially confirmed Vincic’s retirement, lauding his historic assignment: “A week after the World Cup final in the USA, Slavko Vincic has officially concluded his historic refereeing career at the very top of the world.“
In an interview with Slovenian outlet Sport, Vincic revealed that receiving the final assignment initially surprised him. He emphasized the significance: “when your entire refereeing career comes down to a single match.“
The match featured pivotal officiating decisions, including Enzo Fernandez’s second yellow card for a challenge on Pau Cubarsi. Vincic commended his team’s execution: “We were not the main topic of conversation after the match, which shows that we did our job well overall. I think our refereeing strategy was the right one.“
Captains Rodri of Spain and Lionel Messi of Argentina pose with Referee Slavko Vincic and match officials before World Cup Final. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Vincic’s exchange with Messi
During Spain’s possession-heavy phase, Argentina sought late momentum. A notable moment involved Marc Cucurella covering his mouth to speak with Messi, prompting the Argentine forward to signal the gesture to officials.
When questioned about his direct interactions with Messi, Vincic maintained discretion while commending the star’s conduct: “I will leave that conversation on the pitch. But I can say that Messi behaved in a completely sportsmanlike manner,“ he stated.
Messi’s narrow misses under Vincic’s whistle
Though Vincic’s career began in 2010, he seldom faced Messi in club competitions. He officiated a Barcelona vs. Inter Milan match in October 2022 after Messi joined PSG and later oversaw a PSG-AC Milan fixture in October 2023 following Messi’s departure to Inter Miami.
Their World Cup encounters defined their rivalry, both outcomes favoring Messi’s adversaries. Their first clash occurred during Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in 2022, followed by Spain’s 1-0 extra-time victory in the 2026 final, marking the sole World Cup defeats of Lionel Scaloni’s tenure as Argentina’s manager.