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For me the build-up was more cringe than half-time. Even though the USA was not playing, you can get past the powerhouse that is Jennifer Hudson belting out the star-spangled banner given it is done at pretty much every sporting event in the US regardless of which sport or which level. We get this (and Oh Canada) at TFC before every game unless its TFC -V Vancouver or Montreal in which case we get just the Canadian one. What I don't like is how everyone feels the need to personalise it. Just sing the f***ing song! The real cringe came with Tom Cruise, whose monologue still defies explanation, and also with Robbie Williams - what was going on with his hair! Guess it was windy down there! or he didn't put on enough gel! I also noticed all the product placement. Since when did the World Cup trophy travel in a Luis Vuitton case? I have to say I wasn't bothered about the half-time show, but 10 minutes of Shakira might have sufficed if we had to have something. She is still easy on the eye, her hips don't lie, and she is synonymous with the world cup ever since Waka-Waka in 2010. Given she is South American - although Colombians and other South American countries are typically no fans of Argentina - and she also spent many years in Spain with her ex-partner Gerard Pique she was well suited to this game and is forever associated with football. We didn't need Madonna and her drivers, Justin Bieber, Ted Lasso or the muppets although they did miss a chance to cast a couple of real individuals as Waldorf and Statler. The game itself was far far less entertaining than the day before but only one team was trying to win it. The other was trying to find as many ways to be as thuggish as possible. I said before the tournament I thought Spain or France would take it, so I feel somewhat vindicated, but truth be told, I was leaning towards France. This Spain team will be around for a while though and to think Lamine Yamal is both a Euro winner and World Cup winner before the age of 20 is astonishing. The fact that the entire Argentinian team turned their backs on the trophy presentation speaks volumes about their sporting integrity. Now that the WC is over, will FIFA have the balls to hand out extended bans to some of the players for the 'Malvinas' banner, and to the players sent off yesterday, especially Paredes. One little chuckle - it has to be said - was that after the presentation which the US president had long vowed to stay front and centre of and celebrate with the winners like he did last year at the Club World Cup, was actually how quickly he and the FIFA president in his expensive suit and glossy white trainers moved to the sidelines and got the heck out of there. Having recently called out Spain as bad members of NATO for not allowing them to use airbases in Spain to assist in logistics for the gulf operations, they are on the US s***list and had tariffs increased. He would have partied longer I am sure if Messi had been holding it aloft! All in all, I think we have worthy winners of a mediocre world cup. The stars of the show for me were teams like Cabo Verde who raised their game like ICT did when we went ballistic, and for fans who mixed and mingled without segregation in most stadia. Special mention of course to the Tartan Army but also to the Norwegians and pretty much anyone else who came to the events with the right intentions. Here in Toronto, we saw impressive marches to the matches at Toronto Stadium, by Croatia (twice), Portugal, Germany, Morocco and others but for me, the Mexicans took the cake. There was no live Mexican match here of course, and the FanFest had to shutdown abruptly in the middle of the opening game being broadcast on the big screen from Mexico due to thunder and lightning ... but undeterred, for their game against England the fans marched from the CN tower to the FanFest, which is a good couple of miles just to watch the game on the big screen. Luckily no weather issues this time, but unluckily, no result for them :( Oh well, now to look ahead to Euro 2028 in the UK, and WC 2030 in Spain, Portugal, Morocco. 64 teams anyone?

I didn't make a point of missing the pre-games stuff or halftime show, but the way it turned out I did miss them both. The summary I got was a message from my (24 year old) son: "Utter woke nonsense. Back in my day we got a slice of orange. I don't need shakira being a school choir leader, miss piggy and Brazilian footballers driving Madonna in a scaffolding car". I thought Wayne Rooney probably summed it up perfectly when asked for the best bit "when it finished" going on to call it "crap". As for the game, the result was what was deserved by both teams - one who tried to play football and one who didn't.

To tell the truth I watched the 3 scotland games. Totally out of their depth, what an embarrassment. The next world cup is maybe going to be 64 teams. Oh dear, hope we don't qualify, that would be mega embarrassing. Watched 10 minutes of the final and got bored so did an evil suduko instead. Just read that the argies are the first ever team in a world cup final not to record a shot AT goal in the 90 minutes. Messi had their first shot recorded as 117th minute but was well wide. Maybe he has a Scottish granny way back in time. Shooting like that he would be a cert for the Scottish team, even at 43. No scotland/Messi no party

I made a point of not watching any Pre-match or half time coverage. Couldn’t face more crap punditry (Rooney an example) or the Premier League being mentioned at every opportunity. The idea of watching a US Half Time ‘entertainment’ was as appealing as a visit to the dentist. I was pleased Spain took the WC title. Worthy winners. They lacked a top proper centre forward (like Kane), but that aside they ‘bossed’ the final from start to finish and fully deserved the victory. Argentina tried to kick there way to penalties, thankfully they failed. Messi was almost invisible for the most part. A truly inspirational and gifted player up there with Pele & Maradona but it’s time to hang up the boots. Last distasteful memory of these finals was Trump and Infantino presenting the cup to Spain. Two poisonous and corrosive individuals that have nothing to offer football less alone morals. Thank goodness it’s over is all I can offer. I fear for the future of the game as a whole as long as FIFA keep putting money and self enrichment ahead of the game. bc