When the trophy was lifted in New Jersey, Mikel Merino was caught mimicking Donald Trump's dance. The image was the bit that travelled, but the football was far more one-sided than the celebration suggested. Spain controlled the final, Argentina never managed a shot on target, and Ferran Torres finished it in extra-time after Enzo Fernandez was sent off.
Spain's control in the final
Emiliano Martinez made 11 saves, a new record for most saves in a men's World Cup final. That alone tells you how often Spain were on the ball in dangerous areas, with Martinez dragged into action throughout the night.
Argentina's blank shot count on target is even starker. They spent long stretches without turning possession into anything that tested the opposition goal, and the dismissal for Fernandez only made the task harder.
The celebration that stole the footage
The trophy ceremony had its own surreal detail. Merino, who is on Arsenal's books, was seen mimicking Trump's dance while laughing, while Rodri and his teammates were still in the middle of the usual medal-day noise.
Borja Iglesias, speaking to metro.co.uk, laughed off the political angle with a line that fit the mood of the moment: "Yeah, look, I don't want to go to jail, you know?" He also said, "Let's see, I don't think this is the time to create controversy. People know perfectly well what my opinion is."
The football underneath the optics is harder to miss. Ferran Torres made eight appearances at the tournament and scored once, the winner in extra-time coming after Spain had already worn Argentina down. Luis de la Fuente did not need a wild celebration to sell the point. Spain had already done that on the pitch.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
