Spain are World Cup champions for the second time. Ferran Torres. Extra time. 1-0. And a night at MetLife Stadium that nobody who watched it will forget. In this episode we close the loop on the entire tournament — the final, the reaction, and everything that came after. Spain went unbeaten across eight matches, conceded just one goal across the entire competition, and quietly dismantled every team placed in front of them without ever truly hitting top gear until it mattered most. That is a system. That is a philosophy. And we break down how Luis de la Fuente built it. Seventeen of their 26 players came from Spanish clubs, eight from Barcelona alone — and for the first time in World Cup history, not a single Real Madrid player made the squad. No shortcuts. No outsourcing to the Premier League money machine. Just La Liga, developed the Spanish way. But we can't talk about Sunday night without talking about what happened after the whistle. Nahuel Molina appeared to punch Spain captain Rodri as he ran onto the pitch to celebrate, and Leandro Paredes was seen grabbing Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat before wrestling Gavi to the ground. Of seven players ever dismissed in World Cup finals, four are Argentine. The brawl overshadowed the end of Messi's final World Cup — the one man on the pitch who did have class, shaking hands with every single Spanish player as chaos erupted around him. And now? Lionel Scaloni has said he needs time to consider his future, with his contract expiring at the end of 2026. The post-Messi era of Argentine football begins now. We ask the hard question — where does Argentina go from here? And that brings us to the bridge — because this isn't just a men's story. Spain are the only nation alongside Germany to have won both the men's and women's World Cups. The Spanish Women's team — current World Cup holders — are ranked number one in the world and are already in qualifying for 2027. Their squad spans Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and London City Lionesses — a more internationally distributed group than the men, playing across multiple top European leagues. Does that make them stronger or more vulnerable? We look at where Spain's women are playing, what the squad looks like heading into 2027, and whether the women's side can do what the men just did — defend their title on the biggest stage #womensworldcup #brasil #riodejaneiro #messi #yamal #cucurella #rodri #realmadrid #barcelona

For the first time in World Cup history, the last four teams standing are the exact top four ranked sides in the world going into the tournament — France, Spain, England, and Argentina. No upsets left the building. No Cinderella story. Just the best four nations in football, two matches away from the final. OddsChecker In this episode we break down both semifinals and give you our picks. France vs Spain | Tuesday July 14 | Dallas This is the match the tournament deserved. France have been dominant all tournament, scoring 16 goals — second best of any side — while Spain have conceded just once in six matches, doing so against Belgium in the quarterfinal. An unstoppable attack meeting an immovable defense. Spain have won seven of their last ten matches against France, including a 2-1 win in the Euro 2024 semifinal and a 5-4 thriller in last year's Nations League semifinals. But France have not lost a single World Cup match in regulation under Mbappé, and Michael Olise is one assist away from tying Pelé's all-time record for a single tournament. Something has to give. Yardbarker + 2 England vs Argentina | Wednesday July 15 | Atlanta England and Argentina meet at the World Cup for the sixth time, with one of football's bitterest rivalries set to add another chapter — this time the first encounter ever between Messi and England. Argentina are chasing a fourth World Cup title and a second in successive editions, with Messi in extraordinary form and eight goals to his name at this tournament. England, meanwhile, are seeking their first World Cup final appearance since lifting the trophy in 1966. History, rivalry, and everything on the line in Atlanta. Al Jazeera + 2 We give you our picks for both matches — and who we think walks out at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to lift the trophy. #WorldCup2026 #FranceVsSpain #EnglandVsArgentina #WorldCupSemifinals #WorldCupPodcast

#fifaworldcup #football #podcast #soccer #fifa The Round of 32 is DONE — and the World Cup just got REAL | QF Preview The most chaotic, unpredictable round in World Cup history is complete. In this episode we break down everything that happened across the Round of 32 — and then look ahead to the four quarterfinal matchups that are going to set this tournament on fire. Three ties went to penalty shootouts — Paraguay over Germany, Morocco over the Netherlands, and Egypt over Australia — while the round delivered giant killings, VAR controversies, and moments that will be talked about for years. Germany and the Netherlands, two of Europe's most decorated footballing nations, both fell at the first knockout hurdle — and the manner of their exits couldn't have been more dramatic. Brazil came from 1-0 down to beat Japan, only to then be eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16 — with Erling Haaland scoring both goals to put himself in a tie for the Golden Boot lead. Spain eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Monday behind a late Mikel Merino goal, as the 41-year-old had said this would be his last World Cup. And Argentina were 2-0 down against Egypt before scoring three goals in the final 20 minutes in one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history. All three co-hosts made it through the Round of 32 — but Canada fell to Morocco, Mexico fell to England, and the USMNT were knocked out by Belgium in the Round of 16, ending the host nations' dreams. Now the quarterfinals arrive. Thursday July 9: Morocco vs. France in Boston. Friday July 10: Belgium vs. Spain in Los Angeles. Saturday July 11: Norway vs. England in Miami, and Argentina vs. Colombia or Switzerland in Kansas City. Morocco are making history as the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals, and Norway are making their quarterfinal debut at this stage of the tournament entirely. We break down every matchup, pick our winners, and ask the big question — who is actually going to lift the trophy in New York on July 19?