The has concluded, and Spain sit atop football’s mountaintop after their dramatic at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Among the legions paying tribute to La Roja for their superb performances in the decider and throughout the global finals was former Italy international Christian Vieri.
“From the first minute to the end of the game, it was just Spain, Spain and Spain,” said Vieri on the FIFA Podcast. “They were just so good. The Spain organisation, the Spain Federation, the coaching, the coaches, they did a fantastic job with this team.
“Today they just showed that you don’t need the big names to win, you need a good team. Spain has an amazing team and they play as a team, they play together. They played a phenomenal game. Argentina hardly ever touched the ball, and when they had the ball, the Spaniards would just press them, so they would get it back straight away. They just dominated from the first minute to the end of the game.”
A renowned goalscorer like Vieri could quickly see that for Argentina it was always going to take something special to try to breach a strong Spanish defence that finished the tournament with just one goal conceded.
“Every time Argentina had the ball, they couldn’t keep the ball,” said Vieri. “It was very hard for them because, Spain would press them [with] like six, seven, eight players. So, it wasn’t easy to keep the ball for Argentina, and they had a hard time going on the other half to go and score goals. Spain are very good when they have the ball and when they don’t have the ball, they’re amazing.”
With an average age of just over 26, Vieri sees no reason why Spain cannot content for a third title on home soil in 2030.
“There’s a lot to come for this Spanish team, a lot to come, because they’re very young and very hungry,” said Vieri. “You can see the Spanish team playing at the (Santiago) Bernabeu or the Nou Camp with 100,000 people, the whole stadium red. They’re not going to concede.”
Spain’s triumph marks just the latest success for head coach Luis de la Fuente, who guided the country’s various youth national teams to continental honours before taking the helm of the senior side with whom he has secured UEFA Nations League, EURO 2024 and now World Cup success.
“He’s an amazing coach, but the Federation saw a nice man that works very well, likes teamwork, and they brought him up from the youngsters and they put him on the first squad, and he’s doing an amazing job. He knows all the players,” said Vieri.
The owner of nine goals across two World Cups also paid homage to adidas Golden Ball winner Rodri and Pau Cubarsi, who took home the FIFA Young Player Award, presented by Aramco.
“[Rodri’s] the professor of the team, and everything goes by him, so he was amazing. He plays so simple, one, two touches,” said Vieri.
“[Cubarsi] was amazing, but if you put him in another team, maybe he doesn't play so [well],” added Vieri. “But with a team like Spain, where they know each other, they know how to play, they're never scared to play the ball. They’re just phenomenal. So 19 years old…(he) played an amazing tournament.”
The FIFA Podcast takes fans to the heart of FIFA World Cup 2026™ with exclusive access, expert analysis and unforgettable stories from across Canada, Mexico and USA. Hosted by Olivia Buzaglo and Cristian Vieri, the show features FIFA legends, current football stars and celebrity guests reflecting on the tournament’s biggest moments. From match reactions and behind-the-scenes insights to unique World Cup memories, each episode offers a fresh perspective on the beautiful game. .
Listen to the latest episode of the FIFA Podcast on and .
Sources: FIFA Official
