The 2026 FIFA World Cup has drawn to a close, with Spain beating Argentina by 1-0 in extra time in a thrilling final at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Sunday.
As HuffPost has for weeks breathlessly covered, even before a ball was kicked, the 23rd edition of the tournament was engulfed in controversy: from Iran’s tough journey to the competition amid Donald Trump’s war, to the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino. That’s not to mention Trump’s travel bans keeping some fans and officials out and the fury over soaring ticket prices.
Once the soccer actually began, much of the concern was eased — at least for a short while. The sport’s biggest stars came out to play, and the Cape Verde’s Cinderella story captured the imagination. Off the field, Norway’s “Viking row” went viral and Boston was a sea of tartan as Scotland’s fans took over.
But the introduction of hydration breaks, seen as a vehicle for TV advertising, prompted booing from fans and questions about the fundamentals of the game being undermined. And Trump’s intervention in an effort to get a red card reversed for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, which was fruitless, as the Americans were soundly defeated by Belgium, will likely leave a stain on this World Cup.
Check out our coverage below:
Pressing Spain Is 'Very Simple' in Theory But Painful In Practice, Says Ex-Manager Ahead Of Final
NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - Julen Lopetegui knows what it is to see Argentina picked apart by Spain‘s passing carousel, but the former Spain manager says Sunday’s World Cup final will be no nostalgic rerun of a friendly thrashing in Madrid.
Lopetegui was in charge the last time Spain faced Argentina, a 6-1 win at the newly opened Metropolitano stadium in 2018, when Lionel Messi was absent and Spain produced the sort of midfield suffocation that can make opponents feel they are chasing shadows.
“It’s a wonderful memory because I think we played a brilliant match against a great team like Argentina,” Lopetegui said.
“We managed to close down the spaces in midfield, press high up the pitch, and the team put in a good performance. But these are two completely different matches. We’re talking about a World Cup final, not a friendly.”
Spain arrive after a 2-0 semi-final win over France in which they reduced the tournament’s most dangerous attack to a state of frustration and, until after the 80th minute, not a single shot on target.
France players suggested they should have pressed Spain higher and harder. Lopetegui, who coached Qatar at this World Cup and was part of Spain‘s squad as a goalkeeper in 1994, said that plan looks tidier on a tactics board than it does when the ball starts fizzing through Spain‘s geometric triangles.
“The theory is very simple, but it’s true that pressing a team like Spain isn’t straightforward, primarily because of their collective ability to understand the game,” he said.
“It’s not a case of pressing one or two players; rather, you have to be able to press a great many potential ball recipients at the right moment, in the right space, at the right time and in the right decision-making situations.”
Then, he added, comes the other problem. Spain‘s players are not just part of a system, they are good enough to escape the trap on their own.
“There’s their individual ability — in addition to their collective one — to get out of situations on their own that many players aren’t capable of handling, in order to overcome that pressure and, naturally, weaken you,” Lopetegui said.
Both finalists, he said, want the ball and both have players comfortable enough to shape the rhythm of a match. Yet Spain‘s calm build-up from the back gives them a particularly sharp edge.
“Against a team that wants to have the ball as much as Spain do, the opposition will naturally want to press them, but at the same time it’s also an opportunity for Spain to find more space,” he said.
“In football, the blanket covers your feet but sometimes leaves your head exposed, doesn’t it?”
Spain, Lopetegui said, have a back four and a goalkeeper capable of staying composed, restarting play cleanly and finding the pass that turns pressure into goals.
“That makes it much harder for the opposition to press and, conversely, helps you a great deal,” he said, adding that Argentina also have plenty of players in midfield able to keep possession.
For all the tactical chess, Lopetegui believes the final may come down to something less elegant but no less decisive: competitive nerve.
“For me, the main strength of both teams is that they are very competitive,” he said. “When you push them to the limit, they usually respond well.”
He pointed to Argentina’s resilience in knockout danger and Spain‘s faith in their positional game.
“Spain, who have been able to maintain their composure and calm, believing in their style of play, biding their time, and understanding that their superiority will sooner or later be reflected on the scoreboard,” he said.
Lopetegui expects Argentina to threaten with vertical runs from forwards and midfielders, especially from the second line, while Messi, now 39, has reinvented himself for the demands of a different era.
“He’s gained other qualities, such as making his teammates play better and optimising his runs into the box,” Lopetegui said. “This evolved version of Messi is a different player, and the national team perhaps plays differently to make the most of his strengths.”
Spain‘s threat, by contrast, is spread across the pitch.
“Spain is a team where I believe any player has the potential to take centre stage in the attacking phase,” Lopetegui said, citing Pedro Porro’s goals, Cucurella’s runs, contributions from Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Merino, and Pau Cubarsi’s shots.
“It’s a team where it’s not just the forwards who attack, but the whole team, just as the whole team defends.”
In other words, Argentina may try to pull the blanket one way. Spain will attempt to make sure something, somewhere, is left uncovered.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Ed Osmond)
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Spain Now Rules Both Men’s And Women’s World Soccer
Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final capped the 39-day tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The win means Spain now holds both the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup titles, after the women’s team triumphed in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
Spain’s women’s team will defend their crown at the next Women’s World Cup in Brazil, which begins on June 24, 2027.
The men will defend their title at the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco ― with opening matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark the tournament’s centenary.
Before then, Spain’s next major international tournament will be Euro 2028, held across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, starting June 9.
Spain’s World Cup Champions Head Home For Royal Welcome And Parade Through Madrid
Spain’s World Cup-winning team is set to return to Spain on Monday afternoon, where the squad will be greeted by the Spanish royal palace and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez before boarding an open-top bus for a parade through central Madrid in the evening.
Throngs of fans are expected to greet them as they travel from near Moncloa Palace, the prime minister’s official residence, to Cibeles Square.
A ceremony with the players will then be held at the square, where previous Spanish national teams and their supporters have traditionally gathered to celebrate.
Spain walked off with the trophy at Sunday’s final after defeating now-dethroned champion Argentina 1-0 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was only the second time — after a 2010 victory in South Africa — that Spain won the title.
The Spanish capital erupted into celebrations after the final whistle, with thousands of supporters pouring into the streets from bars and restaurants, many draped in Spanish flags or wearing the team’s colors.
Crowds packed Madrid’s Puerta de Sol and other major squares — singing, dancing and setting off flares while car horns blared throughout the capital.
Many celebrated Sunday’s victory long into the wee hours of Monday morning.
“I’m very happy. I’ve slept three or four hours, but for the team, I’ll do whatever it takes,” said 19 year-old Victor Álvarez early Monday.
The World Cup title, combined with the Women’s World Cup won by Spain in 2023, makes the European nation the first to hold both the men’s and women’s titles simultaneously.
Celebrations were dampened, however, after local authorities reported that a 13-year old in Salamanca, northwest of Madrid, had died after a fountain he had climbed onto with friends celebrate had collapsed.
For many young Spanish supporters, the triumph is their first time witnessing the men’s team lift the trophy — and the national delirium that has followed.
Ahead of the team’s return, supporters waited in Madrid’s Barajas airport ready to greet them in an arrivals hall, many donning the team’s jerseys and waving Spanish flags.
Groups of supporters also began securing their spots near Cibeles Square late Monday morning, bringing umbrellas to protect against the sun and temperatures that are expected to climb to 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).
Fox World Cup Announcer Commits Massive Celebrity Boner
Fox announcer John Strong badly booted a celebrity spotting during the World Cup final on Sunday. Read more below.
Javier Bardem Says He's 'Very Proud' Of This Spain-Trump World Cup Final Move
Politically outspoken Spanish Oscar winner Javier Bardem on Sunday spoke not only of his pride in Spain’s second World Cup triumph, but also in the way the team’s players handled Donald Trump during the trophy presentation.
Ivanka Trump's World Cup Photos Get The Red Card From Critics
Ivanka Trump drew criticism on social media on Sunday after sharing posts about attending the World Cup final.
Donald Trump's Sports ‘Curse' Trends Again After World Cup Final
Social media users joked on Sunday that Donald Trump’s infamous sports curse had struck once again after Spain beat Argentina in the World Cup final.
Teenager Dies In Spain During World Cup Celebrations
A 13-year-old died and two people were injured when a fountain partially collapsed in western Spain in the early hours on Monday, marring mass celebrations of the country’s second-ever soccer World Cup victory, emergency services said.
Trump-Allied FIFA President Racked Up Truly Staggering Number Of Air Miles At World Cup
FIFA President Gianni Infantino got some serious air time over the course of the 2026 World Cup, the tournament’s most far-flung edition ever. He crisscrossed North America for matches, meetings and other appearances during the competition, which took place in three countries, 16 cities and four time zones, and ended with Sunday’s final in New Jersey.
World Cup Player Appears To Snub Trump During Medal Ceremony
President Donald Trump was on hand to give out medals and handshakes to both the winners and losers of Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium as Spain beat Argentina, 1-0.
But at least one player seemed to want nothing to do with the president.
‘He Won’t Leave’: Critics Rip ‘Narcissist’ Trump For Crashing World Cup Trophy Moment
President Donald Trump is being accused on social media of trying to hijack Spain’s big moment as the team hoisted the World Cup trophy after their 1-0 victory over Argentina on Sunday.
Source: HuffPost
