Keith Duggan: Spain win out through imperious collective football craft and near-impregnable defence

Indomitable. Spain are the football champions of the world. Substitute Ferran Torres fired the only goal after 106 minutes of gruelling play here in the urban jungle of Meadowlands. It was a day on which Lionel Messi could not tap into that unearthly brilliance of his. Some will blame the attendance of US president Donald Trump, who appears to cast a form of anti-magic when he attends sporting events. A long day for the US leader was made complete by the presentation of the golden trophy to the football team of a nation which regularly features in his homilies of contempt. The prelude to the big day in Meadowlands was chaos under a burning sun. The confirmed attendance of Trump meant security sweeps and checks by the Secret Service, leading to two-hour plus lines and a heavyweight artillery presence. Somehow though, Stoke-on-Trent’s finest, Robbie Williams, in a glittering blue tracksuit, managed to make it through for the pre-match concert: some corner of a Meadowlands field that is forever England.In the end, the football could not live up to the occasion. It was a hot July Sunday with almost a quarter of the world’s population watching, an estimated 1.8 billion people sitting down together, in all time zones and circumstances, to watch this tournament’s climax. READ MOREDespite the forebodings, despite the extortionate pricing, the tournament had taken on a joyful and life-affirming trajectory of its own over six extraordinary weeks. Week by week, the debut entrants and pretenders to the throne were burned off. Spain advanced to the endgame through imperious collective football craft and near-impregnable defence. Argentina, in contrast, made it to the final through a series of wildly emotional lurching games and improbable comebacks. All of it was framed around the diminutive figure of Lionel Messi. What was supposed to be the twilight World Cup of a 39-year-old superstar had instead become the tournament where he defied logic and magnified his legend. “He is pure history,” said his coach, Lionel Scaloni on the eve of the final.“A legend. Reaching a final at 39 years of age is unbelievable. We must enjoy him as it happens. With Diego [Maradona], we miss him. But Messi is still with us.”In other words, it was a football match carrying an unbearable weight of expectation. The first half passed in a tetchy, broken display of errant play, hard fouls and half chances, and a 0-0 scoreline. Argentina, who make magic out of jagged, fractious moments, retired the happier. Then for about 20 minutes, the Meadowlands went full glamourama, with Madonna, Justin Bieber and Shakira the stars of the half-time show. It was the natural showpiece for a World Cup that has won little honour for Fifa – but earned the association some $15 billion (€13 billion). Trump’s attendance, behind a thick bullet-proof glass screen, was conspicuously low-key. There was no public announcement, and therefore no opportunity for the international crowd to act.It was still 0-0 after 90 minutes, and Argentina lost Enzo Fernandez to a second yellow card. It left Argentina with one amazing escape act too many. The curtains drew on America’s summer of football with the famous golden trophy returning to Spain. And maybe proof that Lionel Messi is human after all.