“… But Spain’s World Cup-winning side of 2026 should be considered among the most convincing winners in the history of this competition. In eight games, they only conceded one goal, never trailed at any stage, and controlled matches in midfield without being negative or unambitious. By the end — partly thanks to Argentina’s primitive approach in the final— they were overwhelmingly popular winners. In a tournament with more ‘star name’ managers than usual — Mauricio Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel — the final was a clash between federation men who have achieved almost nothing at club level: Luis de la Fuente’s Spain overcame Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina. As a player, De la Fuente was a workmanlike left-back who played a role in Athletic Club winning back-to-back La Liga titles in the early 1980s. …”
NYT/ATH