Spain has claimed its second World Cup title, defeating Argentina in a 1-0 extra-time victory. The match, held at MetLife Stadium, saw Spain dominate possession and shots, ultimately preventing Argentina‘s captain, Lionel Messi, from creating a single chance for a teammate, a first in his World Cup career.
The winning goal came in the 106th minute from Ferran Torres, who found the back of the net after Nico Williams headed the ball into his path. This victory marks Spain‘s first World Cup win since 2010 and extends their international unbeaten streak to a European-record 38 matches.
Spain’s tactical triumph
Spain‘s coach, Luis de la Fuente, highlighted that stopping Messi was a primary objective for his team. The strategy proved effective, as Messi had only 15 touches in the first half and concluded the match with 54 touches, rarely receiving the ball in dangerous areas. His usual passing combinations did not materialize, and he was unable to threaten Spain‘s defense.
The disciplined defensive performance by Spain was evident in the statistics, with Spain registering a 20-2 advantage in shots and completing 845 passes compared to Argentina‘s 433. This marked only the third time in 900 World Cup games, for which Opta has statistics, that a team failed to shoot on target in a final.
Spain‘s goalkeeper, Unai Simón, noted that his gloves did not have much work to do, while Aymeric Laporte emphasized that Spain‘s success was not overly reliant on its back line. The team’s collective effort and strategic approach were central to their triumph.
Messi’s unprecedented challenge
For Lionel Messi, the defeat was a disappointing end to what had been an otherwise strong tournament. Despite leading Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final with eight goals and four assists, and becoming the first player to start three FIFA World Cup finals, he faced an unprecedented challenge against Spain.
This match was Messi‘s 34th World Cup appearance across six tournaments. Having previously started every FIFA World Cup match by creating at least one chance for a teammate, this streak concluded in the final. The 39-year-old was unable to produce the moments of brilliance that had characterized his international career, as Spain successfully denied him the necessary space and time.
After the final whistle, Messi was seen being consoled by several Spain players. He then walked through a guard of honor formed by the newly crowned champions as Argentina collected their runners-up medals, marking the end of his bid to become a two-time world champion.
Celebrations and reflections
Following their victory, Spain‘s players celebrated their achievement. Rodrigo Hernández, who also received the award for the tournament’s best player, collected the trophy. Other individual accolades included Pau Cubarsí receiving the young player award and Unai Simón earning the Golden Glove.
Each Spain player received a replica World Cup trophy in a black Louis Vuitton trunk and another made of Lego. The celebrations in the dressing room, which included champagne, were brief as the team was scheduled to fly back to Spain. Players departed laden with memorabilia, including cut pieces of the net, commemorative rings, and shirts.
The victory was seen as a triumph of a collective idea and the system led by coach Luis de la Fuente, who began his coaching career in the third tier and has since won European Championships with Spain‘s under-19 and under-21 teams, and now the World Cup with the senior side. Marc Cucurella, a player under De la Fuente, had promised to get a tattoo of the coach’s face if Spain won the World Cup.
The team’s success culminated in their second World Cup title since 2010.
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Source: theguardian.com
Priya Nair
Sports Reporter
