So that is that. The 2026 World Cup is done and dusted, and Spain have once again demonstrated why their brand of possession based football remains th...
So that is that. The 2026 World Cup is done and dusted, and Spain have once again demonstrated why their brand of possession based football remains the gold standard. They beat Argentina in the final, a match that will be remembered less for its tactical nuance and more for the sheer audacity of those trying to steal the spotlight. Let's be honest, the closing ceremony was a damp squib. Tom Cruise, of all people, tried to rally a crowd that seemed far more interested in the beer queues and the prospect of seeing the trophy lifted. The half time show was the kind of filler that makes you wonder if the organisers have ever actually watched a football match. It was noise, not entertainment.But the real story, the one that will dominate the discourse in the coming days, involves a certain US president. Donald Trump, who had kept a conspicuous distance from the tournament throughout its duration, suddenly materialised as the final whistle blew. He tried to hijack the moment, to bask in the reflected glory of a global event he had largely ignored. It was a classic piece of political opportunism, and the crowd let him know it. The boos were not polite. They were the sound of a nation, and a global audience, saying they didn't want this moment politicised. You bottled it, Mr President, by staying away; now you want to park the bus on the victory podium. It didn't wash.As for the football, Spain were everything we expected. They choked the life out of Argentina's transitional play, forcing them into a low block that was never going to work against such clinical finishing. The Spanish midfield was a masterclass in patience. They didn't force it; they waited for the gaps to appear, and when they did, they put the ball in the net. Argentina, for all their fight, lacked the tactical flexibility to unpick the lock. It was a game of fine margins, and Spain held their nerve. Squeaky bum time For the neutrals, perhaps. For the Spanish players, it was just another day at the office.And then there was the question from a reader, Peter Oh, who pointed out a delicious irony. The last team to beat Spain before this final Scotland. Does that mean Scotland have won the World Cup In the hearts of the Tartan Army, absolutely. It is a beautiful, absurd thought, and it captures the chaotic spirit of a tournament that ended with a whimper of a ceremony, a president trying to muscle in, and a Spanish side that simply did the job. From the minute Spain stepped onto that pitch in New Jersey, they looked like champions. The rest of us were just watching the theatre around them.
