Roberto Ayala
Argentina assistant coach and former international defender, under FIFA review after the 2026 final.
Roberto Ayala has been Argentina's assistant coach under Lionel Scaloni since 2019; FIFA's Prosecutor, appointed 20 July, is reviewing footage appearing to show him striking Spain's Dani Olmo after the final, with no finding made.
Last refreshed: 23 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for Roberto Ayala
FIFA opens prosecutor file on brawl
2026 FIFA World CupBackground
Roberto Ayala is assistant coach to Lionel Scaloni's Argentina, a role he has held since 2019 across the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. As a player he appeared for Argentina at three tournaments: 1998, when he played every match; 2002, when injury kept him an unused squad member; and 2006, when he started and was named to the tournament's All Star Team.
That record, three tournaments as a player and coaching staff at two more, makes Ayala one of the more experienced figures on Scaloni's staff, with a career that has run through Argentina's national team set-up for close to three decades.
He is one of three Argentina figures FIFA's Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor is examining over Conduct after the 2026 final: the file, opened the day after the match, covers video appearing to show Ayala striking Spain's Dani Olmo. No charge has been laid and no finding made against him.
Reference
How many World Cups has Roberto Ayala been involved in?
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What is Roberto Ayala accused of at the 2026 World Cup?
Who is Roberto Ayala?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 23 July 2026. Editorial standards.