Patience proved to be an important virtue for Spain. Among other things, Tom Cruise’s speech caused the players to wait for a delay in kickoff. They had to wait twice as long as usual at halftime. And they had to wait until 106 minutes of play and their 20th shot before Ferran Torres scored the goal that gave them their second Men’s World Cup win.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said, “I’m very impressed. Looking back and thinking about them, we have won everything, absolutely everything, with this generation of players.” “The match should have been decided much earlier… but it is a World Cup final, and you have to go deep even against ten players, and we are ready for anything.”
Spain’s captain and best player of the tournament, Rodri, lifted the trophy, but not before Donald Trump made his appearance. The American president was booed when he entered the field accompanied by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and appeared eager to stay to lift the trophy, as he did in last year’s Club World Cup final. Rodri made a subtle attempt to shoo Trump off the stage before Infantino ran to join him at the ceremony.
Messi on the margins
For much of Sunday’s final, that moment felt entirely about time, as the European champions completely outclassed their South American counterparts.
As they did in their impressive semi-final performance against France, Spain dominated the ball early and their teenage superstar Lamine Yamal came close to scoring in the fifth minute. A few seconds later, at the other end of the pitch and on a scale for the ages, Lionel Messi was beaten by Spanish keeper Unai Simón on a through ball. It was close to making a significant impact on the 39-year-old Messi’s game in what was probably his last match at the World Cup.
“Honestly, they will be better,” Messi said after the game. “We lost the game, and we accept that. That doesn’t mean we’ll forget everything we’ve done so far, so I want to thank our people, our players and the country.”
During the first half at the New York New Jersey Stadium, Spain dominated the ball but Argentina held firm, with goalkeeper Emi Martínez making a smart save on a shot from Spanish striker Mikel Oyarzabal, with both sides coming close before the long interval.
Halftime show keeps players waiting
For the first time in World Cup history, a Super Bowl-style halftime show was held. Artists including Madonna, Justin Bieber and BTS extended the break to almost double the standard 15 minutes, contrary to both football convention and FIFA laws.
This was not enough to change the pattern of play. As Spain continued to press forward, Argentina continued to rely on scraps, trouble and Martínez to keep out Spanish shots.
A red card for midfielder Enzo Fernandez in injury time made Argentina’s task even more difficult in extra time than in the final, as it has now been in five of the last six finals. Argentina were exhausted but somehow held on, with Spain facing repeated defeats.
spain keeps composed
Surely the South Americans, who had failed to take a single shot in regulation, couldn’t somehow win it?
But Spain have already proved they will not panic by scoring late winners in their two knockout matches. Indeed, the final was somewhat similar to their tournament opener, a 0–0 draw with Cape Verde. After that, Spain slipped under the radar for a while because it lacked the cutting-edge thinking to make it count.
But as the tournament has progressed, Luis de la Fuente’s side have delivered a masterclass in control as they sharpened their attacking weapons to win their first World Cup since 2010. Spain’s women are also becoming world champions by winning the tournament in 2023.
“I think, in the end, the goal was the 47 million people, not me or the 26 players here,” goalscorer Torres said. “I believe destiny was written today, it was for us to win, away from our fans, but we tried to make them feel as close as possible.”
The shadow of Iran on the World Cup, the shadow of Balogun controversy!
The final brought to an end a tournament that has offered much from a sporting perspective: Cape Verde’s heroics, the race between Messi and Kylian Mbappe for the tournament – and overall World Cup – top scorer and shocks such as Germany’s exit to Paraguay and Norway’s upset of Brazil.
But politics has also proved impossible to ignore. Blocking Somali referee Omar Artan from entering the United States made it clear that this was not the World Cup for the entire world. Iran’s behavior, forced to move in and out of games and resulting in less time to prepare, was reminiscent of the conflict between the US and Iran.
Trump’s intervention in suspending the red card ban for American striker Folarin Balogun also heightened questions already raised about FIFA corruption.
Ultimately, the tournament was decided the same way it always has been. On Sunday, the case was once again decided in favor of Spain in New Jersey.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery