Story Highlight
– Matias Galarza picked up referee’s watch during match.
– Incident occurred amid player scuffle before half-time.
– Galarza tried on the watch, fiddling with buttons.
– Video of the moment went viral online.
– Galarza finished match with goal and yellow card.
Full Story
In an unusual turn of events at the 2026 World Cup, Paraguayan midfielder Matias Galarza captured attention after a playful incident involving the match referee’s wristwatch during the team’s victory over Turkey on Saturday.
The occurrence unfolded just before the interval when a confrontation among players led to referee Ivan Barton inadvertently losing his watch on the pitch. While Barton was focused on diffusing the situation between the players, Galarza noticed the watch on the ground and decided to try it on rather than returning it immediately. The midfielder was seen adjusting the timepiece and experimenting with its functions.
It wasn’t until a few minutes later that Barton, having resolved the player altercation, became aware of the incident. Galarza ultimately returned the watch, but not before the moment gained considerable traction online, with many fans dubbing it the “most unhinged moment” of the tournament thus far.
Complicating matters for Galarza, he was already on a yellow card, which meant that if the referee had deemed the watch incident worthy of further sanction, it could have resulted in his dismissal. Fortunately for Galarza, Barton opted not to take any disciplinary action, allowing the game to continue without interruption.
In the end, Galarza walked off the field with the winning goal and three points to his name, while the referee reclaimed his timepiece, marking a memorable moment in this year’s competition.
