Spain faces Argentina in the World Cup football final on Sunday. It will be their first meeting in FIFA World Cup since 1966
It remains to be seen if Argentina’s potent attack can breach Spain ‘s near-impregnable defence. It will also see the long-anticipated meeting between Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Spain’s Lamine Yamal.
It promises to be a grand spectacle. Yet whatever be the outcome of the match at New York’s New Jersey stadium is anybody’s guess. But this
World Cup will be remembered for more than the team that lifts the trophy. .
The tournament’s expansion from 32 teams to 48 drew criticism, especially in Europe. It drew flak on the grounds that it will make the competition less compelling.
Far from it; the expanded fo representation and has made the cup more inclusive. Africa and Europe are enjoying greater representation and some enthralling encounters were also produced.
It involved Japan, Senegal and Egypt together with tiny and underrated Cape Verde. Indeed it was more the merrier.
Technology was a defining feature of the tournament. FIFA believed that AI-assisted officiating tools, sensor-equipped match balls and semi-automatic off-side technology would settle referring disputes.
But then VAR (Video Assisted Referee) intervention over contentious fouls and strange offsides ensured the opposite. The question is not whether technology belongs to football, but how far it’s adjudicators be allowed to shape the game’s crucial moments.
Finally the controversy over immigration, ticketing and treatment of Iran’s national squad and the reversal of Folarin Balogun’s red card are a reminder that World Cup has never been just about football. From Mussolini’s Italy in 1934 to Argentina’s .military nunta in 1978, the World Cup has long been a stage on which the host governments project prestige, power and legitimacy.
The 2026 edition was no different. Nor are players immune from it.
Following the semi-final victory over England, Argentina now faces the prospect of disciplinary action. The Argentinian players had unfurled a banner backing the country’s claim to Falkland Islands.
There were debates about inclusivity, technology and politics. But the World Cup 2026 has lived up to its moniker- the beautiful game.
There were last-minute winners, dramatic comebacks, extraordinary underdog performance and teeming moments of individual brilliance. All these made sure that football was never overshadowed.
The spotlight is now on Spain and Argentina. But the teams who could not make it to the final match will not remain in the shadows when the history of FIFA 2026 World Cup is penned.
