This was more than a victory for Luis de la Fuente and his wonderful players like Lamine Yamal, the outstanding sub Nico Williams, and Ferran Torres, who struck a fractious final’s decisive blow. This was a victory for football.
This was a victory for those who believe the game should be about expression, not aggression. Argentina’s street fighters were put to the sword by the matadors of Spain. “Ole, ole,” chanted their fans as the game closed with a sweeping passing move and never has it sounded more fitting.
Spain kept playing the way they’ve traditionally done, passing and moving, caressing the ball, treating it as a friend. By contrast, Argentina came to destroy and few, beyond their immense support here in New Jersey, eight miles from Sinatra’s birth-place, will mourn their loss.
‘Argentina wasted the regal presence of Lionel Messi’
The world champions were an embarrassment at times. Enzo Fernandez was sent off for dissent and a foul and he still disputed it. Even after the final whistle, as tempers spilled over, Leandro Paredes was still picking fights. What a waste of the regal presence of such a maestro as Lionel Messi.
He had little service, few touches, no real opportunity to impose those sublime skills. It was a shame that his wonderful World Cup should end in such circumstances, but it was his team-mates’ fault. They came to fight, not play.
Spain’s many supporters railed against the Slovenian referee, Slavko Vincic, for not clamping down on Argentina’s very obvious spoiling tactics. They especially blamed the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, for a perceived favouring of superstars. “Infantino – you’re not a Christian” was one of the more printable chants. From a parochial perspective, English frustration bit deeper at the second-half tactics and substitutions that invited Argentina to look like Brazil 1970.
Spain, meanwhile, looked like the European champions they are, simply on a world tour. How fitting that amongst the full house at the MetLife were many of Spain’s 2010 champions, the Andres Iniesta generation, who also had to endure some rough-house tactics from their final opponents, the Dutch, in their final in Johannesburg.
Spain will never forget their journey to New Jersey. As the heat rose, so did the prices, shamelessly, ranging from $9,715 to $49,384. Capitalism in real time. Many ticketless Spanish and Argentinians came anyway, dodging the loose checks on the outer rings to get close to the MetLife party. Hundreds held up signs hoping for tickets, even more ambitiously seeking them at face value.
Inside, a truly American spectacle briefly broke out, the Super Soccer Bowl. Tom Cruise delivered some sub-Shakespeare seize-the-day, save-the-world rhetoric. Cruise did well, given that it was almost a mission impossible to compete with the deafening Argentinian choirs. Some of their football left one speechless.
Spain did well surviving some of the uncompromising Argentinian tackles. This is far from a great Argentinian team, beyond the genius of Messi, but they are packed with world champions and tough nuts.
Spain were in a dogfight, but they stayed composed, controlled the game and were thwarted only by the outstanding Emi Martinez in the Argentinian goal. Yamal was a test down the right, worrying Tagliafico. When he did get close, threatening a goal, Martinez saved with his legs. Over on the left, Marc Cucurella was enjoying himself, linking with Dani Olmo, even backheeling the ball past Gonzalo Montiel, who recovered with a magnificent sliding challenge. Cucurella shot wide, then Oyarzabal had his 20-yarder saved by Martinez.
Spain were trying to play football, trying to build from the back. Rodri dropped deep, triggering the press from Julian Alvarez and Alexis Mac Alllister under the watchful gaze of Messi. Mac Allister flew in on Olmo, and was granted clemency by Vincic. The Slovenian was clearly in the mood to let things go, but there’s a fine line between trying to let the game flow and allowing some rough-housing. He eventually drew the line at some more leg-tangling from Lisandro Martinez, who was booked. He also had to withdraw, limping, to be replaced by Nicolas Otamendi.
A show finally broke but it proved the much-anticipated half-time show. Madonna and Shakira strutted their stuff, Ted Lasso gave a pep talk to Justin Bieber, just as President Trump had offered some tactical advice to Thomas Tuchel about Harry Kane and defense. The highpoint of the show was Ronaldo and Ronaldinho flanking Madonna. Where was Rivaldo? Half-time stretched to 27 min 22.15sec, a new FIFA world record. The celebratory merchandising is surely on its way.
Back to the football, back to Spain dodging tackles. Nico Williams came on and soon delivered a cross met by the head of Aymeric Laporte. Martinez clutched the ball rather theatrically. Enzo Fernandez tumbled, but was booked for dissent. The mind rolled back to past finals that took time to come to life, to 2014, USA 94, even Italia 90. It was a hard, hot watch and it got feisty as the game staggered like a punch-drunk boxer through added time. Messi found Laporte shut.
Then Enzo Fernandez, racing in, eyes only on the man, sent Pau Cubarsi into orbit. He walked, eventually, reluctantly, and one wonders whether that will affect his price when Chelsea come to sell him.
Martinez continued to defy Spain, pushing away a Yamal free-kick, then denying Mikel Merino’s header. Giuliano Simeone came on and annoyed people. Paredes took Merino out in mid-air. But then came the moment that saved the game, that saved the World Cup, and what a move and goal it was. Yamal laid the ball back to Pedro Porro who steeped his cross to the far post to Williams. The livewire winger nodded the ball back for Ferran Torres to kill of Argentina and make football lovers celebrate.