Spain end the Messi era, Trump’s awkward stunt overshadows Yamal’s coronation | OneFootball

Another FIFA World Cup has entered the history books, bringing to a close one footballing era and marking the beginning of another.

Four years after Argentina’s iconic win in Qatar, Spain returned to the summit of world football in dominant fashion.

In addition to securing their first World Cup title since 2010, La Furia Roja set a new European record by extending their unbeaten international run to 38 matches.

La Albiceleste fell victim to the reigning champions’ curse in one of the most one-sided finals in recent memory.

Read on as we round up the standout moments from a dramatic finale in North America.

Nightmarish end for Messi

Argentina failed to become the first side since Brazil in 1962 to defend the World Cup title as Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute strike propelled Spain to a well-deserved 1-0 win at MetLife Stadium.

It was not a performance worthy of a reigning champion, and the loss was nothing less than Lionel Scaloni’s side deserved for their embarrassing approach and a lack of attacking ambition.

La Albiceleste became the first team in World Cup history to go all 90 minutes in the final without attempting a single shot, perhaps best summarising Spain’s dominance in New Jersey.

Enzo Fernandez’s dismissal in second-half stoppages put the CONMEBOL giants under even greater pressure, and it was only a matter of time before La Furia Roja scored.

Despite showing signs of life after falling behind, it was already too little too late, even though they mustered a promising chance right at the death, only for Pau Cubarsi to avert the danger with a last-gasp intervention.

Argentina’s disastrous display begs the question of what could’ve been had Thomas Tuchel shown more courage in the semi-final, because there’s widespread feeling that England would’ve offered much more in the final.

Lionel Messi’s final World Cup outing, and probably his last international game, ended in bitter disappointment, taking the spotlight away from his record-setting third appearance as captain in a World Cup final.

One of the greatest footballers of all time can find comfort in the legacy he leaves behind.

His crowning moment came in the Middle East four years ago, and while this fairytale ended in heartbreak, it does little to diminish everything he has already achieved.

New king

Football may have witnessed the symbolic passing of the torch at MetLife Stadium, signalling the arrival of Lamine Yamal as football’s new king at the expense of his childhood idol.

Detractors would be quick to point to his underwhelming goal contribution in North America, but that wouldn’t change the fact that he played a key role in Spain’s second World Cup triumph.

Yamal already has the two most prestigious international titles under his belt, joining Pele, Beppe Bergomi and Kylian Mbappe in a select club of teenagers to appear in the final.

Although he failed to add to his highlight reel last night, the left-footed forward kept Argentina’s defence busy all game, proving that his influence extends far beyond goals and assists.

With Spain and Yamal now at the top of the world, it’s hard to escape the supposition that football’s post-Messi era has already begun, with the young gun destined to dominate the game for years to come.

The future belongs to the youth, but experience still reigns supreme, and Luis de la Fuente is the perfect example. The 65-year-old became the oldest coach ever to lift the World Cup trophy.

Spain’s victory in New Jersey made De la Fuente the first manager in European football history to go unbeaten in his first 14 European Championship and World Cup matches.

Trump booed before awkward attempt to join Spain’s party

Supporters booed Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino as they walked onto the field for the presentation ceremony. The US president then tried to steal the spotlight from Spain’s celebrations.

Trump and Infantino watched the final from a glass-enclosed luxury suite, with both briefly appearing on the stadium’s video screens after the national anthem.

While some supporters responded with scattered boos, the reaction was nowhere near as hostile as the reception Trump met when he walked onto the pitch after Spain secured the World Cup.

Accompanied by Infantino, Trump came down to the field to hand La Furia Roja the crown, only to face loud jeers from every section of the stadium, but he looked unfazed.

After handing the trophy to the new champions, he even attempted to join the team on the podium for their celebrations, only for Infantino to quietly guide him away.

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Argentina’s defeat has effectively ruled Messi out of the Ballon d’Or race, but the question is – who deserves the prize the most?

Had it not been for Tuchel’s tactical miscalculation, we would’ve been talking about Harry Kane as the leading favourite.

England won the bronze medal with an epic win over France, perhaps diminishing Kylian Mbappe’s claims.

Kane and Mbappe entered the tournament as the top favourites to take the most significant award football has to offer, but the landscape has changed.

Now that Yamal has added the most prestigious prize to his impressive trophy collection, few would bet against him becoming the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner.