When Spain won the trophy, only José López of Argentina did not have his back to goal, for which the player received praise.

According to RMC, Argentine player José López was widely praised for his proper conduct during the World Cup final awards ceremony, where he did not turn his back on the podium.

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time at the Metropolitan Life Stadium on Sunday to win the 2026 World Cup. During the award ceremony, the Argentine players turned their backs, drawing considerable criticism; however, not all Argentine players did so, with only one player refraining from doing so.

Following Spain's wild celebrations in Madrid on Monday, numerous media outlets and netizens praised José López's reaction. As the only Argentine player on the field to witness Spain lift the trophy firsthand, the Palmeiras striker may have inadvertently garnered a small amount of attention.

One netizen wrote on social media, "José López, you have earned my respect." Another netizen also praised the Argentine player's fair play, while again mentioning Argentina's embarrassing performance in the final: "José López showed more sportsmanship than the entire team. The others had already disappeared before the national anthem even started."