World Cup Review

This June, the U.S. lost a major city. In its place was a second Glasgow, as the “Tartan army” painted Boston’s busy streets and pubs with a sea of colorful quilts while bagpipes and cheers created euphonies. A clip of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland simply sprinting to contest a ball went viral on the internet, highlighting soccer’s growing digital influence. Corporate-sponsored stadiums were renamed after their cities. Soccer jerseys became everyday clothing, and the Statue of Liberty was duplicated at every game the United States team played.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the 23rd tournament in the association’s history. This year, the United States, Canada, and Mexico co-hosted the tournament, marking the second time FIFA decided to hold the World Cup on American soil. The tournament symbolized the end of one era in soccer, and the beginning of another. For more than a decade, names such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., and others have dominated the soccer world. But as they have gotten older, their time in the spotlight creeps closer to expiration. In turn, new stars like Haaland, Spanish winger Lamine Yamal, and English midfielder Jude Bellingham are finally edging out their predecessors.

Let’s begin with our own United States national team. Highlighted by “Captain America” forward Christian Pulisic, the red, white, and blue boys opened their tournament by taking down Paraguay, 4–1, the team’s first-ever four-goal performance at the event. The U.S. men reached the Round of 16, but a talented Belgian squad fought through a weak American midfield and reached the quarterfinals after scoring four goals to the United States’s one. Belgium next took on a tournament favorite: Spain, a team boasting teen phenom Lamine Yamal.

In the quarterfinals, Spain defeated Belgium and advanced to play France. Meanwhile, England faced Argentina in the other half of the bracket. Spain defeated France, 2–0, while Argentina advanced, 2–1, and the final matchup was set.

For the third-place matchup, two brokenhearted teams in France and England hit the pitch for one last time. While the game didn’t generate the same buzz as the Final, it ended up being perhaps the most thrilling game of the tournament: an intense back-and-forth affair ended with a total of 10 goals scored and England bagging the bronze, 6–4. Meanwhile, the two remaining teams traveled to New Jersey for the big showdown.

For the majority of the match, Spain dominated while Argentina relied on defensive tactics to stay alive. Argentina succeeded in keeping the ball away from winger Yamal and other dangerous strikers, yet the strategy was a precarious one: the two teams remained off the scoreboard up to the 90-minute mark, resulting in 30 minutes of extra time divided into two halves. It was in the 106th minute that the newly subbed-in forward Ferran Torres brought glory home to Spain. The 26-year-old stepped in and redirected a save from the keeper right into the net, giving his country their second World Cup trophy after their first, in 2010.

For the next four years at least, Spain sits on the pinnacle of soccer on the world stage, while countries like Argentina remain premier global forces. Brazil and Colombia are transitioning their squads, while countries like the U.S. are focused on long-term strategy to tighten the gap between them and elite European powerhouses. While we won’t see these teams in this format until 2030, it will surely be interesting to see what has shifted when the process repeats in four years.