They say there's nothing to eat at a famous feast... Spain wins after 16 years, a disappointing World Cup final review

The World Cup final has finally ended. It was the last match of a tournament that lasted almost a month, and honestly, I was left feeling quite disappointed, perhaps because my expectations were too high.

It was truly a final that perfectly matched the saying, "there's nothing to eat at a famous feast."

Still, I never expected the World Cup final to end in such a dull manner.

Just the day before, the third-place match saw France and England exchange a whopping 10 goals in an incredible showdown.

So, I thought the final would be even more exciting, but it turned out to be the exact opposite. The fans who bought extremely expensive tickets to watch the match live must have felt the most disappointed.

Spain won the championship by defeating the top-ranked Argentina 1-0 after extra time. This is their second World Cup trophy, 16 years after their victory in the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

With this win, Spain became the second country in history, after Germany, to experience victories in both men's and women's World Cups.

After winning Euro 2024 and now this World Cup, coach De La Fuente's Spain seems to be at its strongest peak. At this rate, it feels like they will soon claim the top spot in the FIFA rankings.

European football has also regained its pride. By bringing home the World Cup title from South America after 8 years, the total number of victories now stands at 13 for Europe and 10 for South America, widening the gap further.

However, if we focus solely on the match content, it was truly disappointing. Spain secured victory with a last-minute goal from Ferran Torres in the second half of extra time at the final held in the New York/New Jersey stadium. For 90 minutes, it was just a frustrating back-and-forth, and ultimately, only one goal was scored in extra time to decide the match.

What was even more surprising was Argentina's performance.

Argentina not only failed to record a single shot on target, but they also did not manage a single shot during the regular 90 minutes. It seemed as if they had given up on attacking.

Of course, it is true that Spain's defense was incredibly solid, but it was hard to believe the performance shown by the defending champions and FIFA's top-ranked team.

In the history of World Cup finals, Argentina is the first team to not record a single shot during regular time. 39-year-old Lionel Messi scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists in this tournament, leading his team to the final. His performance was remarkable for his age, but ultimately, he could not achieve his second World Cup victory.

Still, Messi made another piece of history. On that day, at the age of 39 years and 25 days, he participated in the final, breaking the record for the oldest field player held by Sweden's Gunnar Gren. While the record remains, it surely could not mean as much to him as winning.

Messi played as a right forward in a 4-4-2 formation, and Spain's 19-year-old rising star Lamine Yamal also started as a right forward, drawing attention to this generational clash. However, the match itself was so frustrating that such stories did not shine through.

At least Yamal, along with his peer center-back Pau Cubarsi, set a record for the most appearances by players under 20 in a World Cup with 7 matches, standing shoulder to shoulder with Mbappé, which was a small consolation.

This final had many historical records, and in terms of star power, it was the best stage. However, the actual content of the match did not live up to those expectations.

I did not expect a shootout. I just hoped for a tense battle, with both sides pushing and pulling until the end, as befits a World Cup final.

However, Argentina's lackluster attack and the shocking record of no shots in 90 minutes made the frustration feel even greater throughout the match.

I invested my precious weekend morning time to watch this game, but afterward, I was left with a lingering sense of emptiness.

I sincerely congratulate Spain on their victory.

I also want to express my appreciation to Messi for his hard work until the very end.