Spain is the world champion again. In a final decided in extra time, the Spanish national team defeated Argentina to claim its second World Cup title, ending a tournament that ran across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The victory set off celebrations that carried from the stadium back across the Atlantic. Spain's players returned home for a parade through Madrid and a reception described as a royal welcome.

The celebrations were not without tragedy. A teenager died in Spain during festivities tied to the win.

The tournament itself drew a wide audience in the host countries. Forbes reported that 2.8 million people signed up for a streaming service to watch the matches, and CNN characterized the event as one of the strongest tournaments in recent memory, describing it as a summer draw across the United States. The opening ceremony had been staged in Mexico, featuring a performance by Shakira.

The final also touched on politics. Coverage noted an on-field gesture involving the Spanish side that drew public comment, including praise from actor Javier Bardem. President Donald Trump separately spoke about wanting the World Cup to return to the United States. Kash Patel appeared in a promotional video connected to the event that drew criticism from some commentators.

Not everyone offered unqualified praise for how the sport is being run. The head of Spanish football said FIFA is "destroying football" through its handling of the World Cup, a critique aimed at the direction of the global game rather than the tournament result.

Attention has already begun shifting to what comes next. Coverage examined logistical questions raised by the multi-city, multi-country format, including transit performance in the New York and New Jersey area, where NJ Transit was cited for meeting its service goals, and the decisions of cities such as Chicago that opted not to host. Los Angeles now faces its own test with the coming Olympics.

Future editions of the tournament are also drawing scrutiny. Reporting noted human rights concerns surrounding planned World Cups in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, and raised open questions about the scheduling of the 2034 event. Commentators, meanwhile, offered assessments of whether the tournament was worth its cost and how future editions might be improved.

For now, the result stands settled. Spain lifted the trophy, and its players came home to a crowd waiting in Madrid.

References

1. 1.Forbes — 2.8 million streaming service sign-ups for the tournament
2. 2.CNN — characterization of the tournament as one of the strongest in recent memory and a U.S. summer draw
3. 3.Coverage of Spain's Madrid parade and royal reception
4. 4.Reporting on a teenager's death during celebrations in Spain
5. 5.Coverage of the on-field gesture by the Spanish side and praise from Javier Bardem
6. 6.Coverage of President Donald Trump's comments on returning the World Cup to the U.S.
7. 7.Coverage of Kash Patel's appearance in a promotional video and the criticism it drew
8. 8.Statement from the head of Spanish football that FIFA is 'destroying football'
9. 9.Coverage of NJ Transit meeting its service goals and cities such as Chicago declining to host
10. 10.Reporting on human rights concerns over planned World Cups in Morocco and Saudi Arabia and questions about 2034 scheduling