The World Cup goes to Spain, beaten Argentina in extra time. Final dominated by the Iberians who return to the top of the world after the 2010 triumph in South Africa.
Spain returns to the top of the world, champions for the second time after South Africa 2010. Clear victory, indisputable even if it took 106 minutes (plus various recoveries) and a jab from Argentina to break Argentina’s resistance Ferran Torres assisted by Nico Williams. The second extra time had just started and the Albiceleste was gathering the last of their energy to try to get to penalties after having experienced a final of pure containment, from start to finish and not only after being left numerically inferior by Enzo Fernandez.
The midfielder’s expulsion was the event that definitively directed the match. Spain, however, had already taken command of the game earlier, forcing Argentina to defend in their half of the field, hanging on to Emiliano Martinez’s saves. Afterwards the gap widened, only to narrow when Messi and his teammates threw their heart and physical effort over the obstacle, creating a couple of clear opportunities for the equalizer in the frantic final. It wouldn’t have been right, even though it would have been immensely epic.
Spain, the best national team present in this World Cup
Spain’s triumph is the triumph of the best national team present at this unnecessarily long and tiring World Cup. A team that was able to make up for the less than extraordinary form of Lamine Yamal, his present and future. Its architect de la Fuente endowed it with game and organization codes unreadable for all the others, including the usefulness of footballers like Fabian Ruiz and Oyarzabal who wrote important pages in the novel of this success.
Some numbers, to understand the Spanish superiority in the final: until the final assault Argentina had never shot on target, while Ferran Torres’ shot came on attempt number 21 of the afternoon at the MetLife Stadium. It was the seventh clean sheet for Unai Simon, only De Ketelaere beat him, a streak almost never questioned by Scaloni’s men but which was nourished by very solid and growing performances up until the lesson taught to France in the semi-final.
Messi’s tears: his World Cup is over
Rodri was awarded best player of the World Cup, Cube took the youth award and Unai Simon that is the goalkeeper. It couldn’t be otherwise. On the other hand, the tears of Leo Messi standing in front of his people ran through the soul of those who thought even for just an instant that Argentina could perform yet another miracle. The truth is that with numerical parity, Scaloni’s team waited too long and stalled and then just had to chase. Among the regrets was not having seen Lautaro Martinez on the pitch for even a minute, the man who scored England’s historic goal.
The final wasn’t beautiful, just intense. Raped in its heart by the half time show wanted by Infantino (27 minutes), an experiment that we hope to never see again like the continuous advertising breaks disguised as breaks to hydrate the players. Trump and Infantino filled the day at MetLife Stadium, even getting some boos when they showed up on the pitch for the awards ceremony. Donald handed over the cup and didn’t have the good sense to leave the scene at the very Spanish moment of raising the trophy to the sky. Embarrassing moments, like many things in this World Cup.
