Spain emerged victorious from a rollercoaster Wild West World Cup, marked by highs, lows, and near-brawls. The tournament, held across the US, Mexico, and Canada, culminated in a tense final where Spain's defense thwarted Argentina's attack.
Best Match: England vs Mexico
England's heroic 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16, played with 10 men at the Estadio Azteca, was a seminal experience. Jude Bellingham's double, Harry Kane's penalty, Jordan Pickford's goalkeeping, and Dan Burn's header defined the match, played at 2am UK time after a storm delay.
Best England Player: Jude Bellingham
Bellingham became the first Englishman to score seven goals in a single World Cup, from midfield. He single-handedly dragged England past Norway into the semi-finals and responded to Thomas Tuchel's criticism with indifference.
Best Non-English Player: Lionel Messi
At 39, Messi scored eight goals in eight matches, nearly securing back-to-back trophies until Spain's defense stopped him. He played his first match against England in the semi-final, delivering a cross for the goal that eliminated the Three Lions.
Best Fans: Scotland
Scottish fans charmed Boston with all-night bagpipe playing, drinking the city dry, and popping traffic cones on monuments. Their antics led to a potential baby boom, with locals setting up speed dating to 'bag a Bruce'.
Best Minnows: Cape Verde
Cape Verde emerged undefeated as group runners-up, thanks to 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, whose Instagram followers surged from 500,000 to 29 million.
Best Curse: Nana Kwaku Bonsam
Ghanaian witchdoctor Nana Kwaku Bonsam cursed Harry Kane to stop him scoring against Ghana. Kane failed to score in that match but later netted against Panama after the curse was lifted.
Best Celebration: Victoria Beckham and Norway
Victoria Beckham remained unmoved after Bellingham's equalizer against Norway, while husband David erupted with joy. Norway's Viking rowing celebration became a global craze.
Best TV Pundit: Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney described the final's half-time show as 'c***' on BBC, summing up the over-hyped performance.
Best Stadium: Estadio Azteca
The iconic Mexico City stadium, despite being in a rough area where a journalist lost an iPhone, offered a historic matchday experience.
Best Team: Spain
Spain won the tournament.
Worst Performance: Jordan Henderson
Henderson received a yellow card and broke his arm while warming up against Mexico, without playing a minute.
Worst Manager: Sabri Lamouchi
Tunisia's manager was sacked on Instagram after a 5-1 loss to Sweden.
Worst Fanzone: Cancun
Located in a crocodile-infested swamp, the fanzone was deserted.
Worst Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev
The Uzbek official failed to card Paraguay despite repeated fouls against France.
Worst Treatment of a Team: Iran
Iran was booted from the US on terrorism grounds, confined to Tijuana, and allowed into America only 24 hours per match.
Most Shameless Moment: Balogun Ban Suspension
Donald Trump's personal plea to FIFA president Gianni Infantino led to the suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun's red card ban, allowing him to play against Belgium, who thumped the US 4-1 and celebrated with a 'Trump shuffle'.
Most Shocking Moment: Argentina's Violence
Argentina's players repeatedly fouled Spain after the whistle in the final.
Most Over-hyped Moment: Final Half-time Show
Wayne Rooney called it 'c***', while Roy Keane on ITV enjoyed Shakira.
Special Del Boy Award: FIFA
FIFA sold expensive tickets, commercial breaks for hydration, and even chunks of the final's pitch.
