Forest, planes and dragonflies as Spain prepare for World Cup final | OneFootball

Spain are preparing for Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina at 21:00, tucked away in New Jersey far from Manhattan.

According to L'Équipe, they have sought the same calm as in Chattanooga, though some, including Lamine Yamal, slipped into Manhattan on downtime. This isolation drew 24 hardy fans to Thursday’s session.

The former New York Red Bull base in East Hanover is awkward to reach, around two and a half hours by public transport from central Manhattan, or roughly 50 km and about an hour by car without traffic. Forest lines the route, with little hint of a final nearby beyond police on arrival.

Reporters waited in a makeshift media room still bearing club logos, with old notes on compactness, shutting central lanes and pressing triggers. On the grass, planes from Morristown airport frequently drowned out voices as Spain warmed up, dragonflies drifting into the cameras’ view, before access ended after the first 15 minutes.

By Friday lunchtime about 200 people gathered outside the MC hotel in Monclair. A blue and white shirted fan shouted about a Messi goal, was booed and insulted in Spanish, then joked he would make noise all night. The mood stayed friendly as La Roja’s coach, marked with finale, moved on and New Jersey State Police cleared the entrance.

Beyond an unassuming street, grand homes cluster around Edgemont memorial Park, shaded by trees. At Walnut Station a brief French welcome pointed towards the World Cup, in a place where it was easy to forget it.

Source: L'Équipe