Spain are World Cup winners for the second time, securing that second star for La Roja thanks to Ferran Torres’ goal in extra time. But let’s be real, after all the wild drama this tournament delivered, this final against Argentina won’t be living rent-free in anyone’s head for long. Lionel Messi and the defending champs just looked absolutely cooked, offering basically nothing. What a brutal way for them to run out of road!
“Boring” vs. “Dirty” Was Not The Vibe We Needed
Alright, so Spain loves to meticulously pass and control the ball. Some folks find that “boring,” but hey, it’s their style. Argentina? Man, they’re all about the fouls and gamesmanship, breaking up the play, doing whatever it takes to win, hoping one of their stars, usually Messi, makes magic happen. And yeah, some people find that “dirty.” Put “boring” and “dirty” together in a World Cup final, and you get… well, you get what we got. A total snooze. Both teams had already played their eighth match of an exhausting tournament, and Argentina, especially, looked tired after pulling off those crazy comebacks in the knockout stages. It got even worse when Argentina just kept racking up the fouls, leading to Enzo Fernandez getting a red card right before extra time for a foul on Pau Cubarsi. They didn’t even land a single shot before Torres buried one for Spain. Argentina contributed next to nothing to the spectacle until it was way too late. That red card was just the cherry on top of a frustrating performance.
Delays, Delays, and a “Crap” Halftime Show
You know what else killed any chance of rhythm? The absolute chaos of the delays! Kick-off was six minutes late. Annoying, but whatever, right? Then came the real kicker: a mind-boggling 27-minute delay between the end of the first half and the start of the second. FIFA had told both teams the halftime show would be around 20 minutes, but it went way over. Their own rules say halftime breaks should “not exceed 15 minutes.” Former England captain Wayne Rooney, speaking for literally everyone watching, called the halftime show “crap” on the BBC. And while Spain actually played one of their better periods right after that extended break, creating dangerous chances, we then got hit with another three-minute hydration break. We’ve seen those all World Cup, sure, but they absolutely murder any hope of flow in a game that desperately needed it.
That Pitch Was an Absolute Disaster
It wasn’t just the teams or the delays, though. The pitch itself was a mess. Weeks ago, there were concerns about the state of the ‘New York New Jersey Stadium’ pitch. Brazil star Vinicius Jr. even said after a 1-1 draw that the grass dries out quickly because of the weather and heat, making the game slow. Sound familiar? Ian Wright tore into the pitch on ITV after the goalless first half of the final, calling the playing surface “ridiculous, poor, terrible,” and yes, “bobbly and dry.” That’s hardly the canvas you want for slick attacking play and silky dribbling, is it?
So, what’s the big takeaway from all this? Even in the biggest game on the planet, a combination of bad team matchups, fatigue, terrible organization, and a horrendous playing surface can turn a highly anticipated final into a forgettable dud. Here’s hoping future tournaments learn some tough lessons from this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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