The house he owns in this suburban area is where he usually stays during visits to his native Rosario in central Argentina.

The strong viewership capped what analysts said was a solid run for the tournament's broadcasters, with Fox and Comcast paying roughly $485 million and $600 million, respectively, for rights packages that included the World Cup, according to media reports.

"The 23-year-old forward has signed a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033," the London club posted on their web site.

The success of the Spanish model has not been confined to the men’s game. The women’s side also clinched the coveted crown in 2023 and belong in the same conversation.

"I dreamed that we would win it again. I dreamed of bringing it to Argentina and making history once again," the Aston Villa goalkeeper wrote on social media post.

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.

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.

For FIFA, the tournament represented far more than football. The governing body is expected to end its current four-year commercial cycle with revenues approaching $15 billion, nearly double the $7.6 billion generated from the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

The 48-year-old was appointed manager after Argentina crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in the round of 16 amid skepticism about his lack of head coaching experience and only brief time as an assistant.

The 19-year-old Lamine learned to play football on the streets of Rocafonda, a working-class, multi-ethnic area of Mataro, a coastal city about 30 km (19 miles) north of Barcelona.

"I feel especially proud of this generation of footballers who have grown with this idea... giving us an example of a group, of a family," an emotional Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni intervened to cool tempers down at the end of a fierce encounter.

Ferran's extra-time winner downs toothless Argentina

Rodrigo De Paul returns in midfield, Gonzalo Montiel starts at right back and Nicolas Gonzalez comes in on the wing for Argentina.

After nearly six weeks of heroics and heartache, thrills and spills, heat, rain and rowing, New York New Jersey stadium was preparing tonight to host the crowning event of the World Cup tournament — the final between coolly confident Spain, aiming for their second world title, and fiery Argentina, defending their crown in what they hope will be the bow on the gift of Lionel Messi's glittering career.

The World Cup final offers football's grandest stage a deliciously odd pairing: Argentina, all pulse, fire and Lionel Messi, against Spain, the European champions who appear to treat chaos as an administrative error and have turned control into something close to an art form.

As football grows faster and more physically demanding, one opponent continues to test even the world's best athletes: heat. 

The South Americans are striving to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups, while Spain are eyeing a second title after their maiden victory in 2010.

The tennis legend, who retired from professional tennis in 2024 after a glittering career that saw him win 22 Grand Slam titles, remains deeply passionate about football and will be watching from home as two footballing giants battle for global glory.