In their second Group D fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Turkey suffered a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay, a result that ended their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
Matias Galarza, the scorer of the game’s only goal, drew attention in the 45th minute when he was spotted picking up the referee’s watch after it fell to the turf and placing it on his own wrist.
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Turkey took on Paraguay in their second Group D encounter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and were beaten 1-0, a loss that eliminated them from contention for a place in the next round.
Despite battling throughout the contest, the Turkish side was unable to secure the outcome it needed and exited the competition earlier than expected.
Paraguayan footballer Matias Galarza stole the referee’s watch that fell off in the 45th minute of the match.
The footage of the footballer picking up the watch from the ground and putting it on his own wrist went viral on social media. 😂 pic.twitter.com/dPZxUE8bIU
— Kara (@UTDKarra) June 21, 2026
Galarza, whose strike proved decisive, found himself at the centre of an unusual incident just before half-time.
Following a heated confrontation involving players from both sides, the Paraguayan midfielder retrieved the referee’s watch from the ground and briefly wore it on his arm.
Esto es lo más out of context del Mundial, cortesía de MATÍAS GALARZA 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/73LFsuJ2b9
— Marca Zonal | Data & Fútbol 📊 (@Marca_Zonal) June 20, 2026
The bizarre moment was caught on camera and quickly spread across social media platforms, becoming a widely discussed talking point.
Former German referee Patrick Ittrich, now a pundit on World Cup coverage, reacted with astonishment, saying, “I don’t understand why a footballer would do something like that.”
The Paraguay international eventually handed the watch back to referee Barton after wearing it for a short period, and no disciplinary action was taken against him.
