Rodri looks back to his imperious best in Spain’s midfield while Enzo Fernández has day to forget for Argentina

Unai Simón Was alert to clear danger after Cubarsí’s early mistake. Otherwise could have brought his slippers. 7

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BBC scored a late goal in head-to-head with ITV over the World Cup by being in the stadium for the final

“I thought it was crap,” Wayne Rooney surmised on BBC after enduring the half-time show. Amid a tense final, the interval was always going to be prominent, theoretically bringing light to the shade. Why the two UK broadcasters felt the need to transmit the karaoke session in full we will never know but at least the pundits struggled through it, too.

Ally McCoist said it had “mentally scarred” him as someone in attendance, unlike many of his ITV colleagues who were sat in Brooklyn. The studio has rightly earned them kudos, creating a home alongside the Hudson River with the Brooklyn Bridge providing the dramatic backdrop. With the game only an expensive train ride away, it was a surprise to see Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright in familiar surroundings.

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It was the triumph of an idea, an identity. Of an unshakable and patient faith in it. And when it was over, Spain’s new generation having emulated the one from the 2010 World Cup, all of those legendary names, there was simply delirium for them.

Spain were the only team that turned up to play this World Cup final, Argentina damned by their lack of ambition – even before they had Enzo Fernández sent off towards the end of the regulation time. It was utterly extraordinary that the defending champions barely mustered an attempt on goal.

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It zipped along, cramming in Shakira, Madonna and Coldplay, but football fans may not be convinced of need for this mid-match spectacle

Like hydration breaks and Donald Trump’s ability to get refereeing decisions overturned by simply phoning up the president of Fifa and complaining, the final half-time show is an innovation of the 2026 World Cup that comes with a degree of controversy attached. For one thing, its existence automatically means the World Cup final breaks the International Football Association’s 15-minute half-time mandate.

For another, its obvious antecedent lies in the NFL’s Super Bowl, where the half-time entertainment has mushroomed over the decades from a few marching bands to one of the big pop events of the year. To its detractors, it smacks of America not so much embracing the World Cup as imposing itself upon it.

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• Enzo Fernández sent off for two bookings in normal time

• Victory secures second men’s World Cup title for La Roja

• Match gallery | Golden Boot | Follow us over on TikTok

Spain finally broke the dogged resistance of 10-man Argentina in extra time to win the men’s World Cup for the second time as a drab final ended in a dramatic fashion.

The Barcelona winger Ferran Torres scored the only goal of a disjointed game in the 106th minute, with Argentina’s cynical approach summed up by a mass confrontation sparked by Leandro Paredes pushing Gavi and Eric García to the ground after the final whistle, which led to the Boca Juniors midfield player following Enzo Fernández in being shown a red card.

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Ian & Marg has added a photo to the pool:

Argentinië-middenvelder Leandro Paredes laat zich na het laatste fluitsignaal volledig gaan. Uit frustratie duwt hij een paar Spanjaarden omver in de middencirkel.

Spanje is voor de tweede keer wereldkampioen geworden. Na de 1-0 van Ferran Torres is het Argentinië niet meer gelukt om terug te komen, ook al drong het na de goal van Spanje…