When Luis de la Fuente was appointed Spain's head coach on December 8, 2022, four days after Luis Enrique stepped down following the World Cup round-of-16 penalty shootout defeat to Morocco, the decision puzzled many.

Enzo Fernandez insists Argentina represented themselves in the "best possible way" at the World Cup despite the Chelsea midfielder's red card in the final and a host of ugly incidents in their controversial campaign.

CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez has reiterated his support for expanding the 2030 FIFA World Cup to 64 teams, saying on social media that the centenary edition should feature a larger field.

Aleksander Ceferin, the head of UEFA, boycotted the World Cup final to show unhappiness with FIFA, British media reported Monday.

Argentina face a stark choice from here on: modernise their system to match the demands of the modern game, or wander straight back into the wilderness for another quarter-century of soul-searching.

Dhaka will host the 15th SAFF Championship from November 4 to 17, the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) confirmed in a press release on Sunday.

World soccer's governing body FIFA has appointed a disciplinary and ethics prosecutor to investigate the post-match brawl that erupted after Spain's 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in a chaotic World Cup final.

Critics blasted Argentina for dirty tactics and poor sportsmanship during their 1-0 loss to Spain, cementing the country's status as World Cup villain that grew throughout the tournament.

At New York-New Jersey Stadium on Monday, several storylines came full circle in the World Cup final.

It was not the homecoming Argentines had hoped for, four years after millions celebrated their team's tournament victory in 2022, but fresh scenes of joyful chaos filled the street as they danced, sang and set off fireworks to thank the players.

"At the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri." Those words from Pep Guardiola, spoken while Rodri was still recovering from the injury, sounded more like an act of faith than a prediction.

Lionel Messi said on Monday that after Argentina's World Cup final loss "the pain is immense and it's going to take a long time for this wound to heal."

New World Cup champions Spain began their celebration parade on an open-top bus through the streets of Madrid on Monday early evening, with a jubilant crowd of over a million people out to celebrate, local authorities told AFP.

The seeds of institutional continuity have grown into a towering success.

That Argentina got to a final is a mark of the unbelievable World Cup Lionel Messi played.

Pau Cubarsi did not produce viral highlights or spectacular goals. Instead, he built something every champion needs: a defensive wall.

For both Bangladeshi observers, the verdict was ultimately the same. The World Cup itself will be remembered for its relentless drama and competitiveness, even if its final chapter proved more clinical than captivating.

Two of the most contrasting scenes of the FIFA World Cup unfolded within the space of just 24 hours.

Luis de la Fuente's side reclaimed top spot for the first time since January after beating 2022 world champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in Sunday's World Cup final.

Keegan's family and Newcastle announced in January that the two-time European Footballer of the Year was undergoing cancer treatment, without disclosing details of his illness. In June, Keegan revealed he had stage four cancer.