Donald Trump had to be dragged off the champions' plinth by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as Spain celebrated their Geopolitics World Cup victory in New York. The US president's bizarre behaviour overshadowed the moment when captain Rodri lifted the trophy, with Trump appearing to confuse the scene with one of his Maga rallies. Witnesses described the incident as a 'desperate grab for attention' from the host nation's leader.
Argentina's performance in the final was widely condemned as shameful, with the team failing to register a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Enzo Fernández was sent off, and Lionel Messi embarrassed himself by pleading with the referee to book Marc Cucurella for a trivial gesture. The full-time scenes saw Argentina lose their composure, with Leandro Paredes involved in a notable confrontation.
The tournament, expanded to 104 matches and multiple hosts, has been described as both 'exhaustive and exhausting', with many games feeling like a slog. However, there were highlights, including Cape Verde's valiant run, Belgium's comeback against Senegal, and England's remarkable 6-4 win over France in the third-place playoff. The USA team, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, also impressed before a controversial moment involving Trump's 'assist' backfired.
Fan reaction was mixed, with one reader summing up the half-time show as 'crap', while another celebrated that 'anti-football failed'. The tournament concluded with a sense of relief among fans, many of whom expressed fatigue with the sheer volume of football.
