World Cup ruminations
RTÉ’s coverage, refereeing the final, and the famous photo of Messi and baby Yamal
World Cup
Read more news and analysis on the Fifa World Cup, including the 2026 tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada
‘Reclaim football’: Sepp Blatter joins La Liga chief in call for Gianni Infantino to resign
Blatter attacks successor as Fifa president, while Javier Tebas says system is ‘rotten at its core’
Neuer to Neymar: 10 World Cup players who have retired from international football
Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning goalkeeper and a Brazilian icon are among those who have called time after the 2026 tournament
Why has a clip of David Clifford, viewed over 38 million times, gone around the world?
Memes on X related to Argentina bring Gaelic football to a wider audience
Spain are champions of the world: Malachy Clerkin and Kevin Kilbane on the World Cup final
America 2026 with Kevin Kilbane and Paul Howard
World Cup half-time show in pictures: Shakira, Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and more
Madonna kicked off the Super Bowl-style show, one of several American elements added to this year’s tournament
Trump and Infantino booed before US president attempts to crash Spain celebrations
Argentina’s Cristian Romero snubs Trump’s handshake during presentation of the World Cup runners-up medals
Rodri wins World Cup Golden Ball as Kylian Mbappé wins second Golden Boot
The Golden Glove award went to Unai Simon, while Pau Cubarsi won the Fifa Young Player award
Fever dream World Cup half-time show the most entertaining part of a somewhat Super Sunday
Ferran Torres provides fitting finish to good but not great World Cup
World Cup 2026: The best goals, best players, best teams, best matches
The enduring brilliance of Lionel Messi, Donald Trump’s shocking intervention, and Ireland’s adoption of Cape Verde marked an engrossing World Cup
World Cup pundit ratings: One out of 10 performances on RTÉ and BBC while Roy Keane stars
Pundits have informed and entertained throughout the tournament... or at least some of them have
‘Éire abú’: How Ireland could yet again taste football glory on the world stage
Alternative to Fifa runs own global tournament and has accepted Cumann Sacair Gaeilge, an all-island team for Irish speakers
Spain’s 1-0 result over Argentina a strangely old-fashioned conclusion to a high-wire World Cup
Epic tournament reduced to a cauldron and concludes as something claustrophobic and almost unbearable
Spain beat Argentina through imperious collective football craft and near-impregnable defence
World Cup 2026 final was a football match carrying an unbearable weight of expectation
Spain the winners but football the loser in worst World Cup final of all time
Tournament finale proves spending the big bucks does not guarantee entertainment
World Cup Final: Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 after extra-time in New Jersey – as it happened
Spain claim second World title with Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner
World Cup 2026 in quotes: ‘The greatest human, social and cultural event mankind has ever witnessed’ – ehh, right
Infanto’s exaggerations, Trump’s meddling, France’s exit, Ronaldo’s ego and other choice quotes
Olé, olé, olé: Spanish in Ireland prepare for World Cup final showdown
Replica of ship Columbus sailed on to discover New World has made timely visit to our shores
Vamos, vamos: Why Foxford will be roaring on Argentina to World Cup glory
Co Mayo birthplace of Argentine hero hopes to keep celebrations going with All-Ireland final win, too
Saka hat-trick seals England win over France in 10-goal World Cup third-place playoff
Jude Bellingham clinches thriller in final moment of match as England record their best men’s World Cup finish since 1966
Nothing in my adult life can match the visceral joy and ecstatic anxiety of sport
There is a pure escape, a total transportation, that no other field of human endeavour is quite so capable of providing
Heartbreak to heroism: How Limerick’s hurlers helped reinvent the county in public’s eye
Sporting success stunned Treaty’s most ardent fans and made us all stand straighter when the place is mentioned
World Cup final is a classic clash of the process team with a side riding an emotional wave
Shackle Rodri the metronome and Argentina’s passion play can floor Spain in Sunday’s intriguing decider
Ken Early: World Cup final is a confrontation of two opposite ways of seeing the world
Argentina are an inexplicable frenzy of tears, rage, ecstasy, barbecue, violence and genius
World Cup may make us all losers unless soccer is organised differently
And if only Ronaldo had the same prescription as Messi
World Cup 2026 final: Spotlight on Chris Martin’s team and tactics for ‘halftime show’
Music extravaganza curated by the Coldplay frontman will feature support from Spanish and Argentinian footballers
No ticket to the World Cup final? Rio Ferdinand has the next best thing
Fancy a ticket to the World Cup final press conference? Plus: mucho argy-bargy, and how long is the half-time show, really?
The Irish Times view on the World Cup: still a beautiful game
Despite crass commercialisation, and political meddling, the finals remain magica
Going Gone – Frank McNally on the rise and fall of Irish go-go dancing
Plus: Diplomacy requires envoys of bad luck to avoid Spain’s and Argentina’s embassies on Sunday
France don’t want ‘chocolate-medal’ match but team want to deliver for departing Deschamps
57-year-old France head coach will step down from post after 14 years after Saturday’s game against England
Spain v Argentina: Johan Cruyff’s legacy clear as the nation that shaped Messi faces its masterpiece
The World Cup final pits the Spanish collective against the most extravagant talent to emerge from its football culture
Sick as a parrot: World Cup keeps US workers out of the office
Sick days used to stay at home to watch matches and recover from being knocked out
What’s the story behind Argentina players holding up a banner about the Falkland Islands?
Hundreds of years of dispute preceded the postmatch display at the World Cup of a banner saying ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’
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