21.06.2026 09:00
The truth about Paraguayan footballer Matías Galarza, who made headlines with claims that he stole the referee's watch during the Turkey-Paraguay match in the World Cup, has emerged. It was learned that Galarza, after wearing the watch he found on the field for a short time, returned it to referee Iván Barton. Former German referee Patrick Ittrich, who served as a commentator for World Cup broadcasts, commented, "I don't understand why a footballer would do such a thing."
An interesting incident in the 2026 FIFA World Cup match where Paraguay defeated Turkey 1-0 caused a stir on social media. Posts claiming that Paraguayan player Matías Galarza stole referee Iván Barton's watch spread quickly.
However, when the match footage was analyzed, it turned out the incident was not as alleged.
THE TRUTH TURNED OUT DIFFERENT
During the first half of the match, a brief tension occurred between players of both teams. It was reported that referee Iván Barton's watch fell off his wrist while he intervened to separate the parties.
Matías Galarza, who found the watch on the field, was seen picking it up and putting it on his wrist. These moments led to comments on social media claiming he "stole the referee's watch."
However, the Paraguayan player returned the watch to referee Barton after wearing it for only a few minutes. It was also observed that the referee did not impose any sanctions on the player.
HE SCORED THE GOAL, MADE HEADLINES WITH THE WATCH INCIDENT
Galarza, who scored the winning goal for Paraguay, was discussed more for the watch incident than his goal after the match.
Former German referee Patrick Ittrich, who works as a commentator for World Cup broadcasts, expressed surprise at the events, stating, "I don't understand why a footballer would do something like that."