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El Mundo marks country’s ‘unique collective experience’El País highlights the side’s ‘conviction of hard work’Sometimes football is about more than just football. As Spain’s still-breathless media pointed out on Monday, the national side’s victory against Argentina the previous night was an epochal event that had transcended talk of tactics, grumbles over hydration breaks and displays of distinctly ungentlemanly conduct.“It is the triumph of Luis de la Fuente and of an extraordinary group of footballers who – in a sport of stars and social media divas – have prioritised team values, joint intelligence, and the conviction of hard work,” said an editorial in El País.But, the paper added, it had also yielded a moment of much-needed “collective emotion” for Spain and given it so much to be proud of at a turbulent political time: “It’s easy to see in this team, in its diversity of origins and regions, in the character of its stars, in its style of play, and in its ability to connect with fans and citizens alike, a reflection of what this country is, and what it can be, in the 21st century.”El Mundo couldn’t have agreed more. “Our country has lived a unique collective experience,” it said in a leader. “Thanks to a group of young people who are as dazzling as they are relatable, we have seen the finest values of a Spain that is modern, exciting and capable of looking to the future with huge confidence.”ABC, which opted for the succinct and undeniably true headline of “España Invencible”, was also in celebratory mood. But it couldn’t help contrasting Spain’s behaviour with that of its graceless opponents, describing Argentina’s conduct as “thuggish”.Rubén Cañizares wrote: “Unlike Argentina, De la Fuente’s team had the courtesy to give Argentina a guard of honour as the ‘worthy’ runner-up … and even Sergio Ramos, who was in charge of carrying the World Cup trophy to the stage where Infantino and Trump presented it, embraced Messi in a warm, consoling hug, as Messi began to dissolve in a sea of tears.”In the sports daily Marca, José I Pérez set about the not particularly difficult task of explaining how Spain had come to lift the trophy for a second time. “Spain had more possession, created more chances, had more shots than Argentina, and looked more dangerous,” he said.“The team was the better side in the final … Argentina, like all the other teams in the tournament except Belgium, couldn’t score against Spain, who have only conceded one goal in their eight World Cup matches. It’s a spectacular record. It’s unprecedented in the World Cup for a winning team.”Writing in La Vanguardia, Jordi Basté said that Spain’s persistence and purity had somehow managed to cut through the whole ridiculous, vulgar circus of the 2026 World Cup.“If a Martian had landed on Earth yesterday and turned on the television, he would scarcely have guessed that the World Cup final was about to begin,” Basté wrote. “He would have thought he was watching the opening of a casino or billionaires’ convention.”Despite the distractions of Donald Trump, assorted celebrities and hydration breaks, he wrote, “the Spanish national team was the only one that understood what this was all about”, adding: “Because when the noise dies down, when the drones are withdrawn, when the VIP boxes empty, all that’s left is the game. And in that respect, the Spanish team was the best in the World Cup.”
World Cup News
The new-look Club World Cup, the expanded World Cup, the inflated ticket prices.And, of course, the Super Bowl-style show that meant the half-time break at the World Cup final lasted 27 minutes and 22 seconds.Infantino appears to have thrown the door wide open to a 64-team World Cup."If you don't give smaller countries a chance to participate, they'll lack the incentive to keep improving," he said.Except, of course, smaller countries are not denied the chance. If they are good enough, they qualify. See Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.Purely in terms of the competition format, it does make sense.The top two teams in the 16 groups would go through to the knockout stage. No longer would there be a need to send a few third-placed teams through.But is there really any other logical reason to expand to 64 teams?The 2030 World Cup will mark 100 years since the first World Cup, which was held in Uruguay.The tournament will primarily be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain - but the opening three matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay as centenary hosts.Conmebol - the South American confederation - wants more games.In April 2025, it requested a one-off tournament of 64 teams so it could take on the full programme of the additional four groups.Its president, Alejandro Dominguez, said it would ensure "nobody on the planet is left out of the party".There has been little support from elsewhere.Victor Montagliani - president of the governing body of North and Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf) - said last year it would damage "the broader football ecosystem".Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa agreed, saying further expansion could bring "chaos".None of which means it will not happen, with the decision taken by the 37 members of the Fifa Council.A 64-team tournament has two main plus points: a more natural format, and more opportunities for emerging nations.It is the latter which Infantino is championing, especially after the heroics of Cape Verde.Then Cape Verde drew with Spain and Uruguay to finish second in their group. And the Blue Sharks gave Argentina an almighty scare by taking them to extra time in the last 16, before losing 3-2.But the fairytale stories must be balanced with the competitive edge of the tournament.Haiti, Iraq, Jordan, Panama, Tunisia and Uzbekistan failed to pick up a point - and this summer's group stage had minimal jeopardy for the top nations.Add more teams and it would be difficult to see a repeat of top-four seeds like Belgium (2022), Germany (2018), Spain (2014), Italy (2010) and France (2002) failing to make to knockout stage.Then there is the question of where the extra places would go.Based on this year's qualifying, these are the additional countries who would have made it into a 64-team World Cup 2026 (with their Fifa ranking at the start of the tournament in brackets):AFC: Indonesia (118), Oman (79), United Arab Emirates (68).Uefa: Denmark (21), Italy (12), Poland (36).Concacaf: Honduras (65), Jamaica (71), Suriname (125).Africa: Burkina Faso (62), Cameroon (44), Gabon (86), Nigeria (26).Six of those teams are from the top 50 of Fifa's world rankings - three from Europe, two from Africa and one from South America.And therein lies the problem. Asia and Concacaf are weaker confederations, as was proven by performances this year.Nine of Africa's 10 countries got out of the group stage. But only two of nine Asian countries advanced, and just three of the six Concacaf countries - the co-hosts - made it through.New Zealand, who got one point and finished bottom of their group, are the only country from Oceania in the world's top 150.There is an argument that if you extend again, you should give a greater weight of places to Europe just for competitive balance.But, on the other hand, there are those who would argue that bringing more teams into the World Cup ultimately allows the game to develop further in those countries.Infantino will sell the expansion as being good for the global game, but there have to be doubts that it is good for the competition.Almost a third of Fifa's 211 nations would be present.Would the group stage not simply become a glorified pan-confederation qualifying competition for what is, essentially, a knockout tournament?Expanding the World Cup to 64 teams is really just a case of bolting on four additional four-team groups.This year's tournament lasted 39 days. An additional 24 matches would require 20 schedule slots. Or another five days.But this summer's event was unique for two reasons: multiple time zones and indoor stadiums.That will not be so straightforward in the future, even with 48 teams.Climate change is making playing in the daytime more challenging - see the record heatwaves in Europe in recent weeks.Other countries are far less likely to have the covered venues of Atlanta, Dallas Houston and Vancouver to mitigate it.The Saudi Arabia World Cup is likely to move to January 2035 but it is not clear how other countries will get around this growing problem.Until this year, only once had there been dual hosts of the World Cup - Japan and South Korea in 2002.It is hard to imagine any one country ever being capable of hosting again. Even Saudi Arabia.Could we be looking at World Cups hosted by, for instance, the UK and Scandinavia? Or Eastern Europe?How would an Asian or African country be able to fund hosting the World Cup?Let's look a just a few issues that would need to be resolved.This summer there were 16 host cities with stadiums having capacities ranging from 43,000 to 81,000. More would be required.There would need to be 64 individual, elite-level training facilities for the qualifying nations.Then there is the provision of hotels for the fans, and the infrastructure and support network to move them around.Expanding the World Cup is not as simple as giving more opportunities to more countries.One of Infantino's key promises when he was elected was to bring more money into the game.Every football association now has access to $8m (£5.9m) in funding over a four-year period, with a further $1.2m (£890,000) on top for the smaller nations.Confederations get $60m (£44.5m) to develop, promote and organise football.It is why Infantino is likely to be re-elected unopposed next year.This money has to come from somewhere, primarily the World Cup.In 2017, Fifa projected a 48-team World Cup would bring in $6.5bn (£4.8bn).In 2022, it revised the format again and added 24 games. Now, it expects to rake in $9bn (£6.7bn) this year.A 64-team event is likely to raise more from television, sponsorship and ticket sales.But critics would argue there has to be a point where expansion is no longer good for the game.Why European backlash over Trump intervention won't worry InfantinoWhen the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC Sport
World Cup News
In America, nobody sells football quite like David Beckham.During this World Cup, the former England captain has been impossible to miss.On the pitch, the tournament belongs to stars like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.Off the pitch, Sir David has become the face of the World Cup, fronting advertising campaigns for 11 brands ranging from McDonald's and Major League Soccer to Stella Artois, Home Depot and Bank of America.And if you haven't seen him during one of the many half-time commercial breaks, you've probably spotted him at the United States' opening match in Los Angeles, watching alongside his friend Tom Cruise.Just hours before that, Beckham had become the first professional footballer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with actor Cruise once again by his side."David speaks to so many different people. I think that's what's unique about him," said Stacy Jones, founder and CEO of the marketing agency Hollywood Branded."He brings in the female demographic because he is so sexy - but he appeals to men. He's an honest, good, authentic, down-to-earth type of individual. So you don't really get affronted by him."She felt Beckham had achieved something few celebrities manage, moving effortlessly between football, fashion, entertainment, business and the cult of celebrity.On Hermosa Beach, south of Los Angeles, hundreds of fans gathered to watch Spain reach the World Cup final at an event organised by LA Galaxy - the club Beckham joined in 2007 from Real Madrid.Ask fans what comes to mind when they hear the name David Beckham and the answers come quickly."David Beckham was a really good player for England, but he's doing too many commercials now," said one football fan.For Megan Hapeman, it's the recent McDonald's advert in which Beckham hopes to receive a cup featuring his own face.Her six-year-old son Oliver proudly told me he still has one."When I got it, I was pretty proud," he said. "Because Mommy liked it, I liked it too."That's exactly what brands are buying.Beckham transcends clubs, generations and even football itself.That broad appeal didn't happen by accident. It was built on Beckham's football legacy in America.He remains the player with the trademark free-kicks, part of Manchester United's Treble-winning side in 1999, England captain and one of Real Madrid's original Galácticos.Dan Courtemanche, Major League Soccer's executive vice-president and chief communications officer, admitted Beckham's influence on the game in America cannot be overstated."I always tell people he changed the fate of American soccer. Not once, but twice," he said.When Beckham signed for LA Galaxy 19 years ago, stadiums across Major League Soccer sold out before he had even played a competitive match.The league needed credibility and he gave it something even broader: mainstream celebrity.Sixteen years later, Beckham helped persuade Argentina icon Messi to choose Inter Miami over rival offers globally - another moment that transformed MLS, according to Courtemanche."Lionel Messi decided to make Major League Soccer his league of choice and Inter Miami his club of choice," he added. "Again, it took us to a whole other level."Tom Braun, LA Galaxy's president and chief operating officer, said Beckham's influence has stretched way beyond football."David's an iconic figure in our sport and our culture," he explained."He's built a business around his brand and continues to resonate with people."The evolution of the 51-year-old, who also played for AC Milan and Paris St-Germain before retiring in 2013, was perhaps best symbolised this summer on Hollywood Boulevard.When Beckham accepted his star on the Walk of Fame, he reflected he had never imagined "a working-class English footballer" would receive such an honour.The recognition celebrated not only the life of Beckham the footballer, but Beckham the cultural figure."David Beckham, to America, is the World Cup," Jones said.Having arrived in Los Angeles promising to grow the game, Beckham is still helping sell football to America.Only now, he's doing it not with a free-kick, but with a brand.When the World Cup finishes, the football continues on BBC Sport
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1903 CommentsAfter delivering unforgettable drama and surprises across 104 matches over almost six weeks, the World Cup is over.History has been scripted, records broken and heroes old and new made their mark at football's most coveted tournament.Read our reporters' reflections from the US, Canada and Mexico and then choose from our chief football writer Phil McNulty's selections for best goal and best save.Spain captain Rodri won the official World Cup Golden Ball trophy as the tournament's best player.Messi won the Silver Ball as the second-best player, with Mbappe named Bronze Ball winner.Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerSurprise, surprise. Lionel Messi. Not simply a swansong for a 39-year-old closing down his career, but the enduring inspiration of a nation and a football team. Look at how he controlled the game and pulled the strings when Argentina chased England down in a dramatic semi-final.I was in a Kylian Mbappe news conference early in the World Cup and I remember thinking that I'd never seen him looking more relaxed, more confident and more determined to make this his tournament. That demeanour off the pitch was reflected in some brilliant performances on the pitch - great goals, leadership, flair, composure under pressure and more work off the ball than I've ever seen from him.Alex Howell, BBC Sport's England reporterThe player of the tournament has been Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder dragged England through by sheer force of will in some games and took his game to another level during the tournament.Lionel Messi's leadership, football intelligence and ability to decide the biggest matches has proven vital for Argentina. He was the driving force behind their run to the final and that makes him the competition's standout player.With eight goals and four assists in eight games at this World Cup, it has to be Lionel Messi. England did their best to keep him quiet in the semi-final and succeeded in the first half, but Messi often finds a way and his two assists proved decisive.Michael Olise. Marked out of the semi-final against Spain but the former Crystal Palace forward, who started his journey aged six at Hayes & Yeading United, has left his mark on this tournament with his seven assists. At just 24, Olise has another World Cup or two up his sleeve. I'm still playing replays in my mind of that spectacular scissor-kick against Sweden in the last 32. The whole press box erupted thinking it was going in, only for the ball to crash against a post.Rodri. He has proved to be irreplaceable for his country as he is for Manchester City. Exceptional and so effective at the heart of the best team in the tournamentEasy choice but it has to be Lionel Messi. Doing this at the age of 39 is almost defying the law of physics. He is cementing his place as the greatest.What information do we collect from this quiz?Breakout star of the tournamentSpain's 19-year-old centre-back Pau Cubarsi received the Fifa award for the tournament's best young player after playing every minute of their World Cup campaign.He was a key figure in the Spain defence that conceded only one goal all tournament.Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerI am going for Spain's 19-year-old central defender Pau Cubarsi. The Barcelona youngster was magnificent against France in the semi-final and is a star of the future.Lille fans, regular viewers of Ligue 1 and recruitment teams from the top clubs knew all about his potential but Morocco's Ayyoub Bouaddi burst on to the world stage in style with an exceptional performance in their opening match against Brazil. At the New York New Jersey Stadium that day, I found myself not watching the ball but watching his incredibly intelligent movement around the pitch, which reminded me of a cross between Patrick Vieira and Luka Modric.Alex Howell, BBC Sport's England reporterIt sounds strange to call Erling Haaland a breakout star but it is hard to explain the impact he has had here in the US. He has become a household name and even more of a global superstar.Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha. He began his unforgettable World Cup with seven sensational saves in a 0–0 draw against Spain in their debut World Cup match and ended it with eight more remarkable saves as Cape Verde pushed Lionel Messi and Argentina to the brink of elimination. Vozinha's heroics sparked a global following, with his Instagram audience skyrocketing from about 50,000 before the tournament to more than 29 million.It seemed like the USA would go far at this tournament, particularly with the wave of support behind them, but it wasn't to be as they exited at the last-16 stage. Despite that, many of their players did their own reputations no harm and one of those was full-back Alex Freeman, with his performances leading to USA boss Mauricio Pochettino saying he could be one of the best in the world in his position.Step forward Switzerland's Johan Manzambi. Some 20-year-olds might be overwhelmed playing on the biggest stage of all. Not Manzambi. This huge talent plays with a smile on his face and is a natural entertainer who departed the tournament with three goals in four games.Johan Manzambi. I highlighted him before the World Cup and, although he missed the end for Switzerland through injury, the fact he is moving to the Premier League with Aston Villa for a fee in the region of £50m underlines his quality.The 17-year-old Mexico midfielder Gilberto Mora, who ended up in their starting line-up. Had the air of Luka Modric and seems destined for the top of the game.Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerThe Azteca for Mexico v England. Might just be the best atmosphere I have ever experienced in seven World Cups. It was an assault on the senses and the singing of the Mexican national anthem was a spine-tingling experience. A simply unforgettable night.Speaking to the Paraguay fans outside the Boston stadium, moments after one of the most dramatic penalty shootouts I have ever seen, as the South American side stunned Germany. One father and son, draped in Paraguay flags, were in tears as they told me that this was the best day of their lives, and it summed up what special moments at a World Cup can mean to people. I will never forget the emotion of those fans streaming out of the ground in disbelief.Alex Howell, BBC Sport's England reporterLionel Messi scoring a hat-trick in his first game at this World Cup showed that he was not done and was going to try to push Argentina to another tournament win.Sidny Cabral's stunning 103rd-minute equaliser against Argentina. His strike from the edge of the penalty area that flew beyond Emiliano Martinez sent the stadium into disbelief and brought Cape Verde level at 2-2 in extra time. Although Argentina eventually edged the tie 3-2, Cabral's wonder goal became an instant classic and will always be talked about.For me it was Argentina being pushed by Cape Verde all the way before the debutants were knocked out. They showed the sort of guts and desire we want to see from these teams that gained the opportunity to play at a World Cup because of the expanded format.On my travels around the US, where I have covered 13 games in six different cities, I have spoken to dozens of fans. I was offered a beer and sausages cooked from the back of a pick-up truck before France-Paraguay in Philadelphia, and been stopped for selfies. "You're from the BBC? I have to have a selfie with the guy from the BBC." I have lost count of the number of times I have stopped a fan and introduced myself, only to be asked: "Is it coming home?"For the moment I actually witnessed, it would have to be Sidny Cabral and his sensational equaliser against Argentina as Cape Verde, the smallest nation to ever reach the knockout stages, stunned the defending champions for a second time to make it 2-2 in Miami.Cabral's astonishing goal against Argentina. It was as funny as it was breathtaking.Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerBrazil. Slow. Uninspired. Un-Brazilian. Trudged through the World Cup under Carlo Ancelotti and every weakness was exposed when they deservedly went out to Norway in the last 16.Senegal came to the tournament with the most talented squad in their history but various problems off the pitch arguably meant the players were not given the right environment to thrive. When they were 2-0 up in the last-32 match against Belgium, it looked as though they would salvage something from this World Cup, but tactical errors and poor game management cost them. It was a massive wasted opportunity for a gifted generation of Senegal players.Alex Howell, BBC Sport's England reporterScotland missing out on third-placed qualification was a disappointment and having to wait a couple of days before it was confirmed must have been painful.Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. As one of the pre-tournament favourites, they fell short after a 1–0 last-16 defeat by Spain. Ronaldo managed three goals in five matches and, despite high expectations, Portugal never reached the level many expected, ending another World Cup campaign in frustrating fashion.The USA. They started this tournament so well and created a real wave of optimism and hope among the home fans, but all that was undone by the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun and then their limp exit at the hands of Belgium.The final being held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Yes, it is huge but it is not fan-friendly and it is an expensive pain to get to and get away from. Philadelphia would have been my pick. A stadium on the outskirts of the city in a sports complex. The MetLife is a giant bowl in the middle of nowhere.France in their semi-final defeat by Spain. I tipped Spain to beat France but still did not expect such a flat performance and their star-studded frontline to flounder as badly as they did.I really thought Brazil under Ancelotti would go further. And clearly so did they.Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerMexico. The sheer passion and love for their team and football was incredible. Also such friendly, welcoming fans and people. Incredibly warm and gracious in defeat.We were in a restaurant in Mexico City the night before they played England, and an MC went around each table asking which country people were from. When we told them we were from England, it was announced to the rest of the diners, who burst into a spontaneous outbreak of applause.A word for the Curacao fans I was with inside the Philadelphia Stadium - because who knew that supporters from a nation of just 150,000 could make that much noise? Was there anyone left on the island? But the Brazil fans win it for me because they do not just take over stadiums; they take over cities; Philadelphia felt like Rio or Sao Paulo for 48 hours when they were in town.Alex Howell, BBC Sport's England reporterThe Colombia fans took over Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City when they played Ghana, and made it feel like a party.Norway's fans were brilliant, with their legendary Viking row taking over the World Cup. The chant became a global sensation and created an unforgettable atmosphere in every stadium they entered. The most iconic moments came after matches when the players joined the fans to lead the Viking row from the pitch, uniting thousands of supporters in celebration.I was based mainly in Los Angeles for the World Cup. There's a large Mexican population there and from what I experienced, they were undoubtedly the best supporters. They were loud - very loud - for every Mexico game and when they won fireworks could be heard around LA while their distinct green jerseys were seen everywhere.Norway's Viking row was fun to watch, with fans wearing red shirts sitting in lines and rowing in rhythm. The Norway supporters also provided an amusing moment during the quarter-final with England. They sang "You're going home, you're going home, England's going home" as they led 1-0 in Miami. Moments later Jude Bellingham equalised.The Mexicans. I was fortunate to experience two matches in the Azteca. That is where the heart of this World Cup was and the support for their team was a joy to behold.Argentina. On two occasions in Miami and Kansas City, I have been in stadiums where their support has been in excess of 60,000 fans. The sheer scale of numbers is matched by their wild passion. They sing constantly and have generated the best atmospheres I have encountered in the US.Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerThe deadlock was broken by Lionel Messi for Argentina against Cape Verde with a triumph of technique as he showed exquisite touch to take a difficult pass on the run before, with little room to work with, he guided it into the top corner with his second touch.In the same game, Sidny Cabral's extra-time equaliser was a wonderful moment. From the angle just inside the area, his right-foot curling drive into the top corner gave Emiliano Martinez no chance.In the group stages, Kerim Alajbegovic's goal for Bosnia-Herzegovina against Qatar was a superb solo effort - a weaving run before a rising right-foot shot of high class.What looked like a casual swing of Erling Haaland's left boot was in fact a perfectly placed finish with astonishing power to crown a match-winning performance for Norway against Brazil in the last 16.A tight quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland was broken open by a moment of genius from Julian Alvarez. The vastly under-rated attacker provided with a swerving right-footed drive from long range into the top corner in extra time.Antonio Nusa's opener for Norway against Ivory Coast was perfection. A little shimmy in the area to feint away from a defender, then a precise curling finish into the top corner.What information do we collect from this quiz?Save of the tournament Phil McNulty, BBC Sport chief football writerJohny Placide made a superb double save for Haiti against Morocco. It came first with his legs then he showed swift reactions to save one-handed to his left.At the Azteca Stadium, Jordan Pickford had an outstanding game in England's memorable win over Mexico. His early save, diving low to his left to keep out Raul Jimenez's header, was a crucial moment of brilliance.Orjan Nyland produced a remarkable stop for Norway against Brazil from his own defender Kristoffer Ajer, who inadvertently directed the ball goalwards. Nyland scrambled backwards showing remarkably anticipation and agility to leap and turn the ball against the post.Aymen Dahmen showed stunning reactions for Tunisia against Japan from Takehiro Tomiyasu's close-range effort, somehow keeping the ball out as it did everything but cross the line.There was a brilliant diving save by Patrick Beach for Australia in their group game with Turkey, diving away to his right to touch Abdulkerim Bardakci's rising 30-yard shot on to the post.Iran's Alireza Beiranvand produced a remarkable save from Maxim de Cuyper of Belgium. Beiranvand could not reach Kevin de Bruyne's shot but somehow recovered his position and reacted to keep out a shot from inside the six-yard box.What information do we collect from this quiz?Related topicsFootballFIFA World Cup 2026More on this storyMbappe first to win Golden Boot twice as Rodri named best playerLamine Yamal 'completes football' at 19 as Argentina betray MessiWorld Cup is over, but the football continues on BBC Sport
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For the second time in as many years, the US president made sure he was a part of a moment of triumph he had little to do withHe did it again. There was a world championship trophy, waiting to be held aloft at the same gargantuan stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There was Gianni Infantino, waiting alongside the US president. And there was that same US president, Donald Trump, fresh off a round of stadium-wide booing and jeering, handing off the trophy with Infantino and then staying stubbornly in the frame as another team enjoyed the pinnacle of their professional careers with an octogenarian standing awkwardly in the shot.Should we be surprised? Marc Cucurella probably wasn’t – the defender was on stage for both occasions, first as a member of Chelsea as they lifted the 2025 Club World Cup, and then again on Sunday when Trump once again remained in the shot as Spain celebrated their World Cup victory.The repeated history brought an incongruous end to a night where Trump was – for most of the time – a long way from the center of attention. That would have been a relief to American sports fans, for whom a Drake-like sentiment has grown surrounding Trump’s involvement in their event of choice. Meaning, essentially, that it should be dreaded, and avoided at all costs. The New York Knicks lost their only game of the NBA finals this year with Trump in attendance at Madison Square Garden, where he also drew a lusty round of boos. And, earlier in this World Cup, the US crashed to a 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the last-16 after Trump called Infantino in a successful bid to get striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspended.If Trump had a similarly ruinous effect on Sunday’s World Cup final, it was in a cosmic sense. Trump watched the game from a glassed-in suite, along with Infantino, Spain’s king, Felipe VI, Canada prime minister, Mark Carney, and Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum. The US secretary of state Marco Rubio was also in attendance. At one point in the second half, Trump was seen conversing with Carney.What unfolded on the other side of the presumably bulletproof glass was 120 minutes of punishing, physical football – an enervating match that practically cried out for a sideshow.Trump wouldn’t become that sideshow until later. He was briefly shown on the video screens at the stadium after the US national anthem was played, and there were scattered boos from some in the crowd. TV broadcasts showed him touching the trophy from his seat in the early stages of the match, and conversing with Melania Trump in the 85th minute, but he didn’t appear on the screens in the stadium during the match itself.The hostile reception he had received in his appearances at other sporting events wasn’t repeated until he descended from his perch and walked on to the field to present the World Cup trophy along with Infantino and the other heads of state, where the vast majority of the crowd booed and jeered.What followed was routine, up to the key moment. Trump presented medals to the players alongside the other dignitaries, shaking hands and smiling at each player with a minimum of fuss, seemingly telling them “great job” or “congratulations”. Trump and Infantino then held the World Cup trophy together and presented it to Spain’s captain, Rodri, with Infantino ducking away, stage right.If there were lessons to be learned from Trump’s crashing of the Chelsea party last year, Infantino hadn’t learned them. Or perhaps he still felt he was not within his right to grab Trump by the arm and pull him away. Trump was then practically given an invite to leave by Rodri, who motioned Trump to the left of the podium as he prepared to set the Spanish celebrations alight. Trump made as if he would descend the staircase, but instead stood just on the edge of celebrations, seemingly not totally sure where to look, forcing Infantino to jog over and make one last plea for him to leave. It was too late. Rodri lifted the trophy, and there was Trump, in the frame. By the time the confetti fell to the grass, Trump had gone, lingering just long enough to be visible.Just as Lionel Messi lifted his first World Cup in 2022 wearing a traditional Arab cloak, Spain hoisted their country’s second title with a reminder of the host nation lingering awkwardly in the frame.
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Close615All the goals from the race for the 2026 World Cup golden boot as Kylian Mbappe leads the way from Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland.Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated topicsFootballFollow Footballclose panelYou are now following FootballUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.England Men's Football TeamFollow England Men's Football Teamclose panelYou are now following England Men's Football TeamUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.FranceFollow Franceclose panelYou are now following FranceUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.NorwayFollow Norwayclose panelYou are now following NorwayUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.ArgentinaFollow Argentinaclose panelYou are now following ArgentinaUpdates from your Sport topics will appear in My Sport and in a collection on the Sport homepage.FIFA World Cup 2026Follow FIFA World Cup 2026
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The rules are simple. Each day there's a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. Guess the answer after as few clues as possible to score more points.Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.So take part and return for more tomorrow.Today's player and clues set by BBC Sport's Huzaifah Khan.After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.What information do we collect from this quiz?Related topicsFootballFIFA World Cup 2026Play more quizzesAll our Who Am I? quizzes in one placeQuiz: Name every nation at the Fifa World Cup 2026Can you name the 10 Lionesses with most England caps?World Cup quiz: Name these top nations' leading scorers
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The route to this World Cup victory involved beating the other 2022 finalist and then suffocating Argentina as they dried out in the sunTime to break the staff, bury the book and call time on that rough magic. There was, by the end, an undertone of sadness about Lionel Messi, New Jersey and a World Cup final that brought Spain the glory of an entirely deserved second trophy, and which saw Argentina offer almost nothing beyond a gnarled and gristly sense of resistance.This is an Argentina team built on faith, devotional energy and a belief in the frankly irrational magic of your lone scurrying 39-year-old genius. Well, sometimes that magic will forsake you. The deus ex machina will refuse to appear. And he is perhaps gone from this stage now for good, a Prospero giving his final address to the crowd from a clanky metal bowl outside New York.Messi’s third World Cup final has always been likely to end up his last, whatever happened in New Jersey. For the greatest player of this or any other age there was something else here, the sound of exit music just below the ambient noise, the realisation across 120 minutes that what you’re watching are the routines, the shapes, the movements, but without its own vital essence. England in Atlanta, that half hour when Thomas Tuchel’s team simply shrank, devoured by an aura, might just turn out to have been Messi’s last stand.He was always going to rage against it. The far corner of the New York New Jersey Stadium pitch was in evening shadow as the game entered the third minute of added time at the end of extra time, the grass a deep autumnal green, the countdown inside the countdown almost done. A goal down and a man down at the end of eight tournament matches. Six World Cups deep, 39 years old, and playing here against opponents who had spent the last two hours enacting a very crisp, orderly suffocation. How much do you have left? How thin is that thread?Messi was there all the same, scooting towards the corner flag, head bobbing, legs whirring in that familiar rodent-superhero style. He took Argentina’s final corners of the match, wringing out the last little drops, the last dusting of dip and veer and ping.Fifteen minutes earlier Messi had been close to the halfway line, watching with a familiar expression of mild interest when the moment arrived to decide this bruising World Cup final. As Ferran Torres measured his stride and spanked the ball high into the net for the only goal, as the red shirts leapt and bounced by the corner flag, the stands writhing and falling over themselves, Messi bent at the waist and stared down at the turf.The goal came from Spain’s 20th shot, to Argentina’s zero. The cut-back to Torres was Spain’s 715th completed pass. At the end of which Spain are not just champions, but clearly the best team at this World Cup, the embodiment of a system, a coherent sporting culture made flesh. The route to this point has involved beating both finalists from Qatar, as well as flushing out a ghost here, neutralising the hammer of England, subduing the magic that had dragged Argentina to this stage.All morning New York had been hot and wild, jammed and breathless, basically a sustained assault on the senses. Or in other words, not really different to any other Sunday. But the stadium felt a little bit like the end of the road in more ways than one, the mild organisation sub-chaos of this World Cup finding full expression in the vast sun-frazzled queues waiting to get in.This has been an unloved venue at this World Cup, rising up out of and rolling New Jersey asphalt like a giant discarded alien hubcap. But inside it’s a classic, stark gladiatorial bowl, the stands a rolling wall of noise an hour before the start. And this really should have been more of a match-up. Most obviously in terms of tactics and method. Spain are the ultimate systems team. Spain are process and craft, the football of some hyper-advanced Star Trek society on a planet where people in robes talk wisely about collective effort and shared rewards.Whereas Argentina, well, what is this exactly? Sport as emotional nationalism. But European-coded too. Nothing expresses Argentina like Argentina’s football. And yet Argentina’s football is hugely cross-fertilised by Europe. Messi, its godhead, could have played for Spain, learned his method in Spain, and has become the apex point of modern European club football.From the start Argentina were playing cold here, as they had against England in the first half. Take time out of the game, compact it down, kill some of the space between you and the finish line. Give Messi something manageable.Spain had 35 passes here before Messi moved beyond a walk. He basically spent most of the early exchanges getting out of the way, edging back out of the crush like a minor uncle at a wedding. Famously Messi likes to process and watch in these moments, to measure the currents and the angles. He certainly had a very good view of Spain passing the ball around, another VIP looking on from the best seat in the house, mildly more interested, all things considered, than Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.By half-time Argentina had already begun to dry out in the sun, a desiccated thing, footballing biltong. At which point the World Cup got a front row view of another version of the world. On the one hand, a muddled, hard, ragged scoreless game of football with a sense of unyielding forces, of waiting while some difficult piece of algebra is resolved.On the other, Madonna gyrating furiously on a screen, followed by the great revolving Korean pop-godhead BTS. The Ted Lasso actor, as Ted Lasso, did a skit with Justin Bieber, who then strummed a guitar and sang a song of almost total anti-energy, walking along a little bent and constipated, long shorts, white shoes, basically doing Messi.Shakira was successfully Shakira. Hundreds of humans in brightly coloured clothes appeared and waggled tarpaulins. It was a show. Not a good show. But then, we already had a show, didn’t we?“YuRRR score at HAFF time. SpAAAiinnnn Zero, Aggrrnetina ZrSerro,” the owner of the world’s most annoying voice announced as the players reappeared. At which point the day and the game continued to drain towards its end point. In their non-Messi periods Argentina are a team that will make you lose yourself, play badly, forget what football is for.But Spain are too good for this. They will take the ball away before you can do it. From the 70th minute on, Argentina were simply laying themselves down in front of the traffic, stopping the day, a team with no hope of winning this final beyond taking it to penalties. Two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the 90 they lost Enzo Fernández, sent off for a second yellow card in 10 minutes. And that was always going to be that.Messi will continue to play for Inter Miami, and perhaps even for Argentina for a while. But this is his stage, this is the space he has defined. Let’s face it, he probably won’t be back again. It felt appropriate that he was walking as the final whistle was blown, and from there just kept on walking, didn’t break stride as Spain’s players and staff ran on and the stadium began to explode around them.Messi’s super-skill, even in his ferretty, fast-twitch prime, has been all about creating his own moments of calm and stillness, a quality that has become ever more alluring as the space has congested on the pitch and the noise and light become ever more intense off it.Even at his dotage at this World Cup Messi has been a delight, still able to dredge up those surge moments where he makes the universe around him symmetrical, soft, open to his touch. Spain may have finessed him, but they haven’t been able to make a player quite like him. Then again, we may never see another again.
World Cup News
Manager says team and and fans ‘deserve everything’‘It hurts my soul’: Scaloni to consider Argentina futureSpain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, hailed his players for fulfilling what he described as “their destiny” by winning a second World Cup final against 10-man Argentina.The reigning champions were second best throughout but it took until the second period of extra time for Spain to find the breakthrough from the substitute, Ferran Torres. Nico Williams saw his goal disallowed in the first half of extra time, while Enzo Fernández became the sixth player – and third from Argentina – to be sent off in a World Cup final after the Chelsea midfielder was shown a second yellow card in the 93rd minute.Argentina had chances to equalise after Torres put Spain ahead but having come to their rescue so many times at this tournament Lionel Messi could not inspire them to become the first team to retain their title since Brazil in 1962. His failure to add to his tally of eight goals in what is expected to be the 39-year-old’s last World Cup means that Kylian Mbappé won a second Golden Boot of his career having finished with 10 goals.But it was Spain’s miserly defence that proved decisive in the end, with De la Fuente’s side only conceding one goal in their eight matches as Unai Simón won the best goalkeeper award and teenage defender Pau Cubarsí was named as young player of the tournament. The Manchester City midfielder, Rodri, was awarded the Golden Ball.“It was written, and we deserve it,” said a delighted De la Fuente, who has led Spain to European titles at under-19, under-21 and senior level before this triumph. “This team and this wonderful fanbase deserve everything. We had a date with destiny and we wanted to make it count.“The players have asked me what we have left to win. Together we’ve figured out that it’s the next match in September [against England in the Nations League] because this team is tireless.”But while Álex Baena and Marc Cucurella are set to follow through on their promise to have tattoos to celebrate Spain’s triumph, the 65-year-old De la Fuente, who became the oldest manager to win the World Cup, insisted he had no such plans. “I’m too old for tattoos,” he said.Torres, who emulated Andrés Iniesta’s winner in extra time of the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa against the Netherlands when Spain won their first title under Vicente del Bosque, found it hard to come to terms with what he had just done.“This isn’t just my goal,” the Barcelona forward said. “It’s for 47 million people. I want to grab the cup and squeeze it. In the end, when you’ve got Messi on the opposing team, you do get a bit nervous, but we always try to play our own game.”There were ugly scenes after the full-time whistle when Leandro Paredes pushed Eric García and then appeared to aim punches at Gavi while he was on the floor, with the Slovenian referee showing him a red card. Argentina’s players then kept their backs turned when Rodri was presented with the trophy by US president Donald Trump.The Argentina manager, Lionel Scaloni, who was in charge when they beat France in the 2022 final, broke down in tears in his post-match press conference and would not confirm if he will continue after his contract expires at the end of this year.“It hurts my soul. I’m sorry,” he said. “I have to be honest and say that I have to take time and think about the future, because I’m not sure this kind of group can be assembled again.”Asked whether Messi is planning on retiring soon, he added: “At 39 years old, it’s an incredible thing. He is going to play as long as he wants. He’s the best player to ever set foot on a field. What he did in this World Cup is incredible.”
World Cup News
Chief football writer at New York New Jersey StadiumPublished20 July 20262688 CommentsWhen brilliant Spain teenager Lamine Yamal embraced a tearful Lionel Messi at the end of the World Cup final, it looked and felt symbolic. A passing of the torch.Messi, at 39, gazed long and hard at Argentina's fans packed around the New York New Jersey Stadium as they sang his name after what may be the last time he graces the game's biggest stage.And, with the world watching, it was Lamine Yamal who offered the great Argentina icon consolation before they fell into each other's arms.Barcelona's number 10 embracing their most legendary number 10.A different image to the amazing photo of a 20-year-old Messi bathing a six-month-old Lamine Yamal in September 2007 as part of a charity calendar raffle that went viral once more in the build-up to this game.The baby boy is now a man, and Messi may be at the end of his World Cup journey.Lamine Yamal - two decades younger and still in the infancy of his career - has effectively completed international football by lifting the World Cup two years after he came to wider prominence by winning the Euros when Spain beat England.He, like Messi a product of Barcelona, came into the tournament troubled by a hamstring injury, but ended it as the youngest player - at 19 years and six days - to win both the World Cup and Euros.And one of the key storylines contained within this disappointing World Cup final was how Lamine Yamal's influence was assisted by the purist strategies of his Spain team-mates - while Messi was betrayed by Argentina's provocative approach.It yielded nothing, which was what it deserved.Spain and Lamine Yamal have grown through the tournament to leave him with the world at his feet and football's two greatest prizes in his pocket.As well as having glorious natural gifts, he is also Spain's lucky charm. They completed their domination of the international stage with Ferran Torres' decisive 106th-minute strike in extra time.Lamine Yamal has yet to lose for his country in the 28 competitive matches he has played. He has started 13 games at major tournaments and won all of them - the longest 100% win rate of any European player across major tournaments when starting.He also became - along with 19-year-old Spain team-mate Pau Cubarsi - just the fourth and fifth teenagers to start a World Cup final and win, after Pele for Brazil in 1958, Italy defender Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982 and Kylian Mbappe with France in 2018.Spain coach Luis de la Fuente spoke afterwards of his "sincere gratitude" to Lamine Yamal."He has played great football that will help him to mature and be even a greater footballer than he already is," he said."He really sacrificed for the collective good. This is very important in my squad. In my opinion he played a great World Cup."And this is not simply a special talent, it is a special talent with a special temperament.He shrugged off Argentina's obvious attempts to intimidate him as he regularly came into close contact with Nicolas Tagliafico in particular.Former England goalkeeper and BBC Sport pundit Joe Hart summed it up well."Not only did Lamine Yamal not react," he said. "He stood up to it. He was not rattled and he did not back down. He had the entire team trying to smash him."He just stayed real cool. It was real standout performance from him."Lamine Yamal is 19 years old. What a beautiful day for him. He's 19 and has completed football."With virtually his whole career in front of him, and taking in the experience and influence of Spain team-mates such as his captain and player of the tournament Rodri, there is every chance Lamine Yamal will add more successes like this before he is done.Sixteen titles in five years - why Spain are a dominant forceArgentina coach Lionel Scaloni, like Messi trying to win a second successive World Cup, became highly emotional when asked whether this was the legendary attacker's final game in the tournament - while also reflecting on his own future with his contract due to expire in December.Scaloni said he had not spoken to Messi, before bursting into tears himself then leaving the news conference.Messi's cause was not helped here by Argentina's confrontational approach from virtually the first whistle, which left their inspiration and leader effectively a passenger for most of the game.Spain's victory was a victory for football because Argentina appeared to be focused on anything but that from early on, when Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic exercised the sort of leniency that has infuriated opponents throughout the World Cup.Alexis Mac Allister's poor challenge on Dani Olmo received nothing more than a brief admonishment, prompting Spain fans to ironically chant the name of Fifa president Gianni Infantino. It was another nod to the conspiracy theorists who claim Argentina's road to the final has been smoothed out by officialdom.It was 40 minutes before Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez received the game's first yellow card for a foul on Mikel Oyarzabal - greeted with heavy sarcasm by many inside this vast bowl of a stadium.To see Argentina's obvious talent, which they displayed by overpowering England in the semi-final, reduced to such spoiling tactics was a dismal sight, hardly designed to aid Messi's genius and influence.Messi even got in the act by suggesting the referee should send off Spain's Marc Cucurella for talking with his hand over his mouth - punishable by a red card if employed in a confrontational manner at this World Cup.It came after the low point of Argentina's performance, Enzo Fernandez's senseless charge at Cubarsi just before the game went into extra time. The Chelsea midfielder was not even looking at the ball when he flattened his opponent. A second yellow card was fully deserved.Argentina were the first team in the tournament's history not to have a shot in 90 minutes of a World Cup final. When it did come, in the 117th minute and with desperation mounting, Messi fired off target.Spain had 12 shots on target, Argentina had none in the entire game.In a shocking first half, Argentina committed more fouls than passes in the final third of the pitch. Nine as opposed to eight. It summed up their approach.Argentina's players joined Messi in shedding tears after the final whistle, though even that ended in an undignified scrum between players and officials from either side.Leandro Paredes - as he was too often after coming on as substitute for the second half - was the aggressor, grabbing Eric Garcia by the throat. He was also involved as Spain's Gavi was thrown to the ground.This outstanding World Cup should not be remembered for such an unsavoury finale.Spain may not have been at their best in the final, but they have developed throughout the World Cup, from the shock of being held to a draw in their opening game by Cape Verde to ultimate glory.The World Cup got the winners it deserved, and in Lamine Yamal it has a star of future tournaments.Messi's unforgettable World Cup era may be over - but the Lamine Yamal years could go on for a long time to come.
World Cup News
The 2026 World Cup is over and it's time to put your knowledge of the tournament's history to the test.We want to see if you remember all eight of the countries who have won the men's World Cup.After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.What information do we collect from this quiz?Related topicsFootballFIFA World Cup 2026Play more quizzesQuiz: Name every nation at the 2026 World CupWhich World Cup team are you? Take our quizWorld Cup quiz: Name every player in England's squadWorld Cup quiz: Name every player in Scotland's squad
