The Guardian

It was the triumph of an idea, an identity. Of an unshakable and patient faith in it. And when it was over, Spain’s new generation having emulated the one from the 2010 World Cup, all of those legendary names, there was simply delirium for them. Spain were the only team that turned up to play this World Cup final, Argentina damned by their lack of ambition – even before they had Enzo Fernández se…

Our photographer has been at Royal Birkdale for the Open. Here are some of his best shots as Ryan Fox claimed his first major with a birdie at the final hole Continue reading...

With the temperature at 9pm close to 32C, Spanish fans filled bars, parks and arena’s to celebrate their team’s 1-0 win over Argentina Patience beats overreliance on Messi: how the final was won and lost Neither the approach of yet another enervating heatwave, nor the prospect of heading to work on Monday morning, was going to keep Madrileños huddled indoors when the World Cup, and the stifling s…

US president watches Spain v Argentina match Match report: Spain beat Argentina in extra-time Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino were booed as they took to the field for the presentation ceremony before the US president attempted to gatecrash Spain’s victory party. Trump arrived at the stadium on Marine One, with the president’s helicopter first flying over the stadium about 45 minutes before kick…

The European champions conceded just one goal in the tournament and their success is a victory for a system Release the pressure, let it out. All of it and all of them. Again and again they had come, again and again they had been halted. Many players had taken aim at Emi Martínez’s goal but somehow he was still standing and time was slipping away but Spain refused to do so, so they came some more…

Game’s greatest player will not see his legacy sullied by defeat to Spain but his team’s display destroyed the game Playing on the grandest stage in sport for the last time, Lionel Messi seemed almost certain to provide one last memorable moment in this World Cup final. Yet as the sun ducked behind the west stand of New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, it became clearer and clearer that Argenti…

Rodri looks back to his imperious best in Spain’s midfield while Enzo Fernández has day to forget for Argentina Unai Simón Was alert to clear danger after Cubarsí’s early mistake. Otherwise could have brought his slippers. 7 Continue reading...

Argentina tried to kill the spectacle and make it a physical battle but Spain refused to take the bait and kept passing A worrying thought as a tepid first half drew to a close: was the half-time show going to be better than the football? This was a slog. Argentina could not match Spain’s possession approach but they had ways to level the playing field. There was physicality from Lionel Scaloni’s…

It zipped along, cramming in Shakira, Madonna and Coldplay, but football fans may not be convinced of need for this mid-match spectacle Like hydration breaks and Donald Trump’s ability to get refereeing decisions overturned by simply phoning up the president of Fifa and complaining, the final half-time show is an innovation of the 2026 World Cup that comes with a degree of controversy attached. F…

Southport local said the ovation he received on the 18th was ‘incredibly special’ after his title chances fizzle out Two o’clock on a sunny Sunday afternoon, five hours or so to go in the 154th Open Championship, and here comes Tommy Fleetwood up the 1st fairway, five shots off the lead. A delay in one of the groups up ahead meant that Fleetwood has had to stand and wait 15 minutes at the tee box…

Russell clipped by Hamilton on lap one after power loss British driver 50 points behind Antonelli in standings Toto Wolff, the Mercedes principal, has admitted the team let George Russell down. The British driver failed to score a point at the Belgian Grand Prix after a clash with Lewis Hamilton which Russell attributed squarely to his car’s performance not being up to scratch. The race at Spa wa…

R&A can quietly exhale as American’s challenge fizzles out in front of the occasional barb from Royal Birkdale crowd Deep into the final round of the Open, and Bryson DeChambeau is almost legless in the last chance saloon. He’s slipped to minus five, four off the clubhouse lead, with eight holes to play. Worse still, he has not made birdie all day. But there is a sliver of hope. After all, in 201…

A tournament with more teams and more games has been filled with euphoria, heartbreak, and these weird and wonderful viral moments As a Japanese supporter exclaimed to a television camera, “Texas is good, everything is big”, we knew the World Cup had started. In those early euphoric moments, seeing the palpable joy when everything is still possible, it seemed Japan fans were the MVPs of memes. Th…

Fifa says football brings the world together but the unhoused in Atlanta feel targeted and completely excluded from the tournament “A lot of our community has been pushed out by the World Cup. We’re not just dollar signs, we’re more than that. We’re people and we’re frustrated that they’ve chosen to treat us less than human.” “ They dropped me off there in the middle of the night. They call them …

The fifth in a special series of World Cup 2026-themed collages made for the Guardian by the celebrated satirist Continue reading...