Salute Spain, don’t cry for Argentina!
Game of Thrones did it and now the Trump-Infantino World Cup has made a determined attempt to do the same.
Spain did not just deserve their second trophy, they won it in every respect. Indeed, they won it by just turning up. Argentina did not.
Or, to be precise, the ex-world champions opted to defend their crown by playing anti-football.
Their lack of ambition and increasing petulance were a disgrace.
And in terms of a send-off for their skipper, Lionel Messi, in what surely must be his farewell World Cup game, it was a shameful letdown.
One-nil is no reflection of Spanish dominance of a game in which, without being brilliant, they were vastly superior in every aspect.
In attempts on goal, the score was 20-0. For shots on target, it was 12-0. Corner kicks: 9-1. Possession 66% to 34%.
The billion or so watching around the world have to be grateful that the winning goal came in extra-time and penalties were not required.
When Barcelona’s Ferran Torres found the roof of Emy Martinez’s net, it came as a merciful relief.
You wonder what the watching US President made of it, and the millions of football atheists in America who don’t get the rest of the world’s beloved low-scoring sport.
In both finals the US has staged, there has not been a goal in normal time. And like the one that ended with Roberto Baggio launching a missile from the penalty spot in 1994, this would not have had many converts.
You also wonder what those who are said to have paid RM2 million for the best seats think.
As well as those up in the “nose bleeds” with binoculars who shelled out a once-in-a-lifetime RM40k for their vantage points. And an awful lot in between.
For this? How ever you look at it, it’s a lot to pay to see two aging Brazilians drive on an aging diva at halftime.
The best thing about that show was that it was an alternative to the football. Or, I should say, anti-football. Fifa should just forget the nonsense.
When the undercard has delivered an all-time classic, the main event can struggle to live up to top billing. And after the England-France 10-goal epic yesterday, even with boxing impresario Michael Buffer on the mic, the 23rd World Cup final was not ready to rumble – and never did.
It squawked and squealed a bit late on, but Spain never came close to the heights of their semi-final thrashing of France. Nor did Argentina look remotely like the side that beat England.
What was called “doggedness” by commentator Peter Drury, was just Argentina’s spoiling tactics.
Knowing they couldn’t match Spain’s mesmeric passing game, they saw disruption as their best hope of stealing a win. And hoping Messi could produce some magic.
Alas, the great man had left his wand in the locker room and disappeared for lengthy chunks of the game.
He awoke late on, but it was a sad end for a player who touched the loftiest heights.
And especially sad to see that one of his last acts was to ask the referee to send off an opponent (Marc Cucurella) for waving his hand in front of his mouth.
It was a meek surrender to Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Boot race and, if this was the dying of the light, that was the only time he raged against it.
Clearly, this was a game too many for him. At 39, he had amazed us with how well he had played throughout, staying on the field for much longer than expected, and still able to unveil his genius.
Nor was the baton quite passed to his anointed successor, Lamine Yamal. The 19-year-old had a moment, in the third minute, but fluffed it. It probably came too early but that could have been seen as the handover.
It would have been a different game and after 103 matches, 38 days, billionaires flying in and paying thousands – hundreds of thousands – for tickets, the 23rd World Cup deserved better than the one they got.
The watching world does, too. It basically, stops. And then for only one side to play is a massive and unforgivable letdown.
For once, the hydration breaks did not annoy, but offered a little relief from the tedium.
Spain certainly perked up since they were held by Cape Verde in their first game, but lacked the stars such as Xavi Hernandez and Andreas Iniesta. Only Manchester City’s Rodri, who looks ominously back to his best, really stood out in a non-vintage team.
Argentina were nowhere near their 2022 peak with mostly the same players. And nor will cynics, who claim they’re protected by Fifa, be changing their stance after this performance by another weak referee.
Two red cards were eventually given to the South Americans, but Spain had two goals disallowed, one correctly by millimetres, but the other remains a mystery. He let a lot of their shenanigans go.
Cape Verde scared them, Egypt were 11 minutes away from victory before Messi magic turned the Round of 16 match on its head. A red card then helped it sneak past the Swiss and then came a late comeback against England.
In the end you could say it was poetic justice that their tactics were unable to cling to the crown.
But as they lick their wounds, will FIFA learn from their mistakes or will they go on with a 64-team tournament, ripping off fans and perhaps returning the show to America in 2038? Talks are ongoing.
Hold on to your hats, and most of all, your wallets.
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