Finally, the curtain has fallen on the World Cup, that football festival awaited by fans every four years, where the elite teams gather and different football schools meet in a celebration unlike any other tournament. Despite the increase in the number of teams and some adjustments to the tournament system, it retained much of its luster and appeal, although there remains a fear that commercial considerations may in the future overshadow the technical aspect, causing the tournament to lose some of the spirit and enjoyment that fans are accustomed to.

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As for the final match, I will not say it was a fitting conclusion, because it did not rise technically to the level of a final of the world's biggest football tournament, even though the Spanish team deserved the title on merit, after delivering a complete tournament crowned by organized performance and a strong personality on the field.

On the other hand, Argentina appeared in a completely different light than what its fans were accustomed to. When Lionel Messi was absent, the impact on the team's performance was clear; the team was completely missing that night—no danger, no shots, nothing worth mentioning, in the absence of its captain and primary inspiration, as if the team had lost both its offensive and mental compass.

Messi carried his country's team on his shoulders for many years, making the difference in the toughest moments, but time waits for no one, and every star has a date with the end. That is why Argentina, for much of the tournament, seemed a team that worked hard more than it created, and fought more than it convinced, with players who have enthusiasm and desire but lack the quality we were used to seeing in the generations of Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes, Gabriel Batistuta, and other legends who built the prestige of Argentine football.

As for France, it is another story worth pausing over. I expected, as many did, that they would have the final say after the great levels they showed since the start of the tournament. With a constellation of stars led by Kylian Mbappé, along with Olise, Dembélé, and Doué, the French team had all the elements to qualify for the podium, but it fell unexpectedly in the final meters, confirming that football does not recognize names alone, but those who know how to handle decisive moments.

And here lies the biggest lesson in this edition of the World Cup: no team can build its ambition on a single player, no matter how great he is, and that a multitude of stars does not guarantee success; it may even become a burden if collective spirit is missing or if excessive confidence creeps into the players. Major tournaments are decided by the system before individuals, and by teamwork before individual skills. In the end, Spain deserves all congratulations after adding a second star to its record, confirming it was the best and most consistent throughout the tournament. As for Argentina, despite the bitter exit, it needs a true rebuild, not to search for a new Messi, but to build a new team that restores its prestige and writes a new chapter in its football history.

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