A group of Argentina fans were left devastated after a Spanish pilot reportedly told passengers their team had won the World Cup - but it was all an elaborate prank

05:47, Tue, Jul 21, 2026 Updated: 06:28, Tue, Jul 21, 2026

Commercial Airline Pilot in the Cockpit

The pilot announced the wrong result - on purpose [stock image] (Image: Getty)

A group of Argentina supporters fell victim to a cruel prank by a Spanish pilot, who falsely informed them that their side had won the World Cup.

The aircraft erupted into jubilant celebrations after a number of Argentine passengers were led to believe the pilot's announcement, having first been given a glimmer of false hope before the truth was revealed.

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Passengers wearing Argentina football shirts leapt from their seats and burst into cheers upon hearing the news over the PA system — completely unaware of what was about to follow.

Having booked their flights in advance, they had been unable to watch the match live while airborne, placing their trust entirely in the pilot to deliver the outcome of football's most prestigious fixture.

He announced over the intercom that Argentina had claimed victory. The raucous celebrations were short-lived, however, as the pilot then revealed it had all been a joke — and that Spain had in fact lifted the World Cup.

At that point, the passengers had no knowledge of how the match had unfolded, including their team's dominance, a red card, and Spain's decisive extra-time goal.

Footage was captured on social media

Footage was captured on social media (Image: X)

The cheers swiftly gave way to a stunned silence as the Argentina fans on board were left utterly crestfallen.

The prank was undoubtedly a bold gamble from the pilot, given that the result had already sparked chaos both on and off the pitch, with players clashing and Argentinians taking to the streets in protest.

Fortunately for him, it is understood that no such disorder broke out on board the aircraft.