Paraguayan Midfielder Takes Referee’s Watch During World Cup Match Against Turkey
Matias Galarza, a midfielder for Paraguay, unintentionally became the center of a viral moment at the 2026 World Cup when he seized the referee’s watch during the match against Turkey. The incident occurred just before halftime as a scuffle broke out on the field, causing referee Ivan Barton’s watch to fall onto the turf. Galarza spotted the watch, picked it up, and tried it on, fiddling with its buttons instead of returning it immediately. The referee only noticed the missing watch a few minutes later, after the chaos had subsided, prompting Galarza to give it back. Despite already holding a yellow card, which could have led to his ejection if the watch incident had been penalized, Barton chose not to take further action. Galarza finished the game with the winning goal, securing three points for Paraguay, and retained his yellow card, while the referee recovered his watch. The clip quickly spread online, with fans dubbing it the tournament’s most unhinged moment.
Buying Time Analysis: The story underscores how a spontaneous, humorous incident—where a player briefly seized the referee’s watch—captured global attention, illustrating the unpredictable human moments that can define World Cup narratives and spark discussions about sportsmanship and officiating.
