As the confetti settled and the trophy was hoisted into the New Jersey night, you could be forgiven for wondering whether the real story of this World...
As the confetti settled and the trophy was hoisted into the New Jersey night, you could be forgiven for wondering whether the real story of this World Cup final was happening on the pitch or somewhere off it. Spain's victory over Argentina was a moment of genuine footballing brilliance, a testament to their relentless pressing and clinical finishing. Yet the closing ceremony, if you can call it that, was a bizarre affair. Tom Cruise, drowned out by a crowd who had come to see a match, not a stunt. A halftime show that felt like an unwanted interruption, padding out a gap that didn't need filling. And then, as the final whistle echoed, US president Donald Trump, having kept his physical distance throughout the tournament, materialised like a ghost at the feast, trying to grab the spotlight just as the players were readying their medals.It was, frankly, an odd spectacle. But let us not allow the sideshow to distract from the main event. Spain were magnificent. They dismantled an Argentina side that, for all their individual brilliance, looked bereft of ideas when faced with a low block and rapid transitional play. The tactical flexibility of the Spanish coach was evident; they shifted from a patient build up to a direct, punishing counterattack within moments, leaving the Argentine defence chasing shadows. The goal that sealed it was a masterclass in movement and weight of pass, the kind of move that reminds you why we call this the beautiful game.One reader, Peter Oh, posed a question that cuts through the glamour and corporate nonsense. He noted that the last team to beat Spain was Scotland. Does that mean, he asked, that Scotland have won the World Cup It is a wonderfully cheeky bit of football logic, and it captures the spirit of the fan. In a tournament increasingly cluttered with commercial interruptions and political grandstanding, it is the supporters who keep the thing honest. They see the irony, the absurdity, and they celebrate the small victories even when the big ones go elsewhere.So, Spain are champions. Deservedly so. But as the trophy is polished and the squad heads off on a well earned holiday, let us hope the organisers take note. Next time, let the football do the talking. Keep the A listers in the VIP box, the politicians off the pitch, and give us a closing ceremony that knows its place: a brief bow before the champions take their final lap.
