“The greatest selection of the 21st century”: the international press largely gives thanks to Spain on Sunday, thanked for having “saved football” by winning the World Cup 1-0 against the Argentines demolished for their behavior.
“The new kings”, headlines the French sports daily L’Equipe, which is enthusiastic about the now “greatest selection of the 21st century”, with its three Euros (2008, 2012, 2024) and its two World Cups (2010 and 2026).
Dominant throughout the match – the entire competition in fact -, La Roja was this time contained until the second overtime by an almost harmless Albiceleste, author of its first shot in the… 117th minute.
Rough to the point of exceeding the limits, as evidenced by the exclusion for a second yellow of Enzo Fernandez (90th + 3), Messi’s gang, already far from having only followers, has decidedly not restored its image, with the added bonus of nasty scuffles after the final whistle.
“During a New York afternoon like a worm in the middle of the Big Apple, Argentina paid, finally, for trying to transform a football match into a street brawl,” tackles the British tabloid The Sun, which is satisfied with this “fairy tale” outcome.
The English press generally took up this caustic tone: “cynical tactics” for The Guardian, when The Daily Mail charges Argentines who “lost their heads” at the end of the meeting, first and foremost Leandro Paredes, shown in full force pushing an opponent in the throat.
“Football 1, Criminals 0. It took overtime to get there but, thank God, we got there. Sport won (…) Anything else would have been felt like a crime,” growls The Telegraph.
“The destructiveness of Argentina is punished”, “Messi is deprived of a triumphant exit”, abounds Tages-Anzeiger.
At home, the words are more measured to congratulate the winners, but we also see justice in this result. “Spain didn’t just win a final. She protected a way of playing. She saved football,” assures the Madrid sports daily Marca.
“End of the dream, Argentina resisted as far as it could”, headlines La Nacion, in the land of unfortunate finalists, with the main photo of the tears of Lionel Messi, who at 39 years old could have experienced his last match for the selection.
Pagina 12, more severe, points out “a very bad match” for the Albiceleste, “where they only held on thanks to the saves of Dibu Martínez” against a Spain “deservedly champion”.
In Italy, Gazzetta Dello Sport emphasizes the total domination of La Roja: “20 shots to two (…) this figure illustrates one of the most deserved victories in the World Cup finals”.
“The worst finale”
“On a footballing level, the final was largely disappointing,” summarizes the German newspaper Bild, which recalls that the Argentines did not put a single shot on target.
“The extravagant spectacle surrounding the final arouses almost more discussion than the match itself,” adds the daily, while for the first time, half-time of the most watched sporting event on the planet gave rise to a “show” modeled on the NFL.
Between the refreshment breaks which became commercial breaks and the omnipresence of President Donald Trump, who even lingered on the podium while the Spaniards lifted their trophy – which he had also brought them with his friend and Fifa boss Gianni Infantino -, this World Cup will definitely have been one of excess.
And yet concluded with “probably the worst World Cup final in living memory”, words from ESPN, the reference for sport in the United States…
