Extra Time for FIFA’s troubles

The summit clash of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was a cagey affair with a solitary goal in 120 minutes of play. It was a sorry departure from the rest of the tournament, which averaged 2.96 goals per game – the highest since 1970. Argentina became the first finalist to have zero shots on target in 90 minutes, while Spain absorbed the pressure — and its share of crunching tackles — to systematically wear them down, until the killer blow of Ferran Torres’s goal in extra time. For those of us who had to sit up late into the night ahead of a working Monday, it wasn’t the most fitting finale, but ultimately Spain, the tournament’s best team, deservedly won.