Spain are world champions after a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final, following 39 days and 104 matches across three countries. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in extra time, but Argentina's players reacted bitterly, throwing punches at celebrating opponents, prompting calls for FIFA action.
Bellingham Shines as Player of the Tournament
Jude Bellingham was named player of the tournament by Chief Football Writer John Cross, scoring seven goals—the most by an English player in a single World Cup. Cross stated: "For him to score seven goals in a single tournament - the most by an English player - is an achievement in itself. But his performance levels were so good that I think he would walk into any team in the World Cup finals." Bellingham led England to their best ever World Cup finish on foreign soil.
Memorable Matches and Format Concerns
Cross selected Mexico vs England as match of the tournament, calling it "a fabulous occasion. The atmosphere was brilliant - the stadium literally rocked." He described it as "the best thing I've ever done." Regarding the 48-team format, Cross expressed mixed feelings: "I hate the three qualify from some Groups but not others policy. It kills the excitement in the Group stage." He also criticized sharing the World Cup among three countries, citing environmental concerns and unfair advantages: "flying across three countries is killing the planet. One idiot even drove across the United States. For what?" He noted Mexico's altitude advantage and excessive travel costs for fans.
Cross's World Cup XI
Cross selected a 4-2-3-1 lineup: Vozinha (Cape Verde); Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Pau Cubarsi (Spain), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Djed Spence (England); Rodri (Spain), Fabian Ruiz (Spain); Ousmane Dembele (France), Jude Bellingham (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina); Kylian Mbappe (France).
