The 2026 World Cup ended fittingly for a tournament defined by spectacle over substance, as Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino jointly presented the trophy to Spain's captain Rodri following the final in New Jersey. Spain's victory over Argentina was framed by observers as a triumph of collective team ethos over the individual-focused, celebrity-driven culture that Fifa had cultivated throughout the competition, with the presence of Trump and Infantino symbolising how remote yet unassailable football's leadership had become amid the tournament's controversies.

The final itself was widely regarded as one of the poorest in memory, a scrappy, niggling contest overshadowed by off-field excess, including the trophy's theatrical reveal from a Louis Vuitton trunk and pitchside seats reportedly sold for up to $1m (£740,000). Fifa listed 235 celebrities and VVIPs in attendance, among them Tom Cruise, whose pre-match speech was drowned out by booing Argentina fans. The article also references lasting damage to Fifa's credibility from the Folarin Balogun affair, which it says undermined trust in the organisation's neutrality and governance.