DC Edit | World Cup: The Reign Of Spain
Extraordinarily, the World Cup was a grand success not only financially as a money spinner with $15 billion revenue but because the people of the USA, Canada and Mexico made it so. They embraced ‘soccer’, as they call it, adopted the fans of so many different countries as their own and turned up in such numbers at every venue to make the attendance close to 100 %. So much so, they are asking to host the event again in 2038, but just in the USA
Spain, technically the finest of the 48 teams, deservingly won the World Cup. They were held off only by a brutally cynical Argentina team that seemed intent on not conceding a goal and never striving to create one. In a far from classy final, Spain scored early in the second half of extra time and kept Argentina at bay till the final whistle, when tears rolling down Lionel Messi’s cheeks told the story vividly.
Striker Ferran Torres’ winner, off a header to a pass to his feet by substitute Williams from the Argentine goal line, sailed past the heroic goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez who had kept Spain scoreless with at least 12 saves amid fracas-ridden match situations that saw a reluctant red card come out to Enzo Fernandez.
Sporting justice was served in the end for the European champions Spain who, quite remarkably, remain unbeaten in 38 matches in all competitions, the longest-ever run by any major team in history. The World Cup of 2026 may have been politicised from the very start with fans unable to come because of immigration travel bans and the Iranian team being treated more like prisoners of war, but nothing seemed to affect Spain’s tiki-taka brand of brilliance in passing the ball.
Extraordinarily, the World Cup was a grand success not only financially as a money spinner with $15 billion revenue but because the people of the USA, Canada and Mexico made it so. They embraced ‘soccer’, as they call it, adopted the fans of so many different countries as their own and turned up in such numbers at every venue to make the attendance close to 100 %. So much so, they are asking to host the event again in 2038, but just in the USA.
US President Donald Trump loved the spotlight so much that the FIFA president Gianni Infantino had to drag him away from the Spanish team so they could celebrate by themselves as the proud winners of a second World Cup. Mr Trump’s decision to have a red card suspension overturned for a US striker took political meddling to its highest point, despite which the event became a hit with a record global television and streaming audience.
Even commercial intrusions such as an inordinately long half-time show with pop idols, young and old, performing and hydration breaks, including at three of the 16 air-conditioned stadiums, did little to take away the sheen of the ‘beautiful’ game in which not only the greats like Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lamine Yamal and the indefatigable Messi shone. New stars also lit up the event that was one for the ages despite the polarisation of the world by politics, race and religion.
