Hey friends,

Whew. Just like that, it’s over. 39 days of pure unadulterated fun. Let’s talk through it.

• 🇪🇸 Spain Wins the World Cup

• 📸 The Most Improbable Photo Shoot

• ⚽️ MLS is Back

• ⚽️ Goal of the Week

• 😂 Tweet of the Week

Spain Wins the World Cup

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to be crowned World Champions. They dominated every aspect of the game in route to their second World Cup in history.

Argentina didn’t register a single shot until the 26th minute of extra time, basically the last minute of the game. Spain registered 20 shots with 12 on target. They monopolized possession, controlling 68%, and had 235 passes in the final third to Argentina’s 47. It was a one-sided affair that Spain rightfully won.

Argentina committed 25 fouls, which was the most in a World Cup game since they committed 26 against France in the 2022 final. They had no answer to Spain’s tactical dominance and relied on physically pestering Spain to no avail.

Enzo Fernandez picked up a second yellow card in the 93rd minute for his hard foul on Pau Cubarsi. Argentina had no chance after that. Speaking of Cubarsi, the 19 year old was phenomenal all night. He led all players in the game for touches (139), successful passes (121), line breaking passes (21), and clearances (6). The Barcelona star won the FIFA Young Player Award for the tournament.

All that stood between Argentina and a much more embarrassing scoreline was Emiliano Martinez. He made 11 saves, the most ever in a World Cup Final. The 11 saves is more than Spanish keeper, Unai Simón, made in the entire tournament (10). Spain’s defense was suffocating, allowing just one goal all tournament, the least by a World Cup winner ever. Simón’s 7 shutouts are the most in a single World Cup tournament ever. Spain allowed just 2.3 expected goals across the entire tournament. That’s 0.3 xGoals per game. A remarkable performance from the best team in the World.

Spain has now won 2 of the last 5 World Cups and 3 of the last 5 Euros. The win extended their unbeaten streak to 38 games, passing Italy for the longest ever. We’re officially in the Spanish era of football. In a World Cup where the individual brilliance of the World’s superstars shone throughout, it was the collective team quality of Spain that prevailed.

The 23rd FIFA World Cup was a smashing success. It won’t be long till it’s back in our backyard again.

The Most Improbable Photo Shoot

The image below went viral again in the lead up to Sunday’s World Cup final. Many of you have seen it. It’s of a 20 year old Messi and a 5 month old Lamine Yamal.

It’s the most improbable photo in sports history.

Many are wandering how this photo came to be. The answer is pure chance. The image was captured during a 2007 charity photoshoot with Spanish newspaper Sport, and UNICEF. They were producing a charity calendar featuring Barcelona players and local babies. Lamine Yamal’s parents entered him into a random raffle and were chosen. Messi just happened to be the player picked to be photographed with him.

Nearly two decades later, the two would face off on the world’s greatest stage. The teenager would dethrone the greatest of all time and a connection that began with a random photoshoot would have it’s last chapter together.

After the game, Yamal walked over to Messi, who was sitting on the pitch, and comforted him in his moment of defeat. It was the fitting ending to this story.

MLS is Back

After a 6-week break, MLS is back in action. Many teams have a packed schedule over the coming weeks with just 19 games left in the season. Here’s what went down over the weekend.

The Portland Timbers pummeled the Seattle Sounders 5-1 on the road (goal highlights). Yes, at Lumen Field!! It’s tied for the largest margin of victory for the Timbers over their rivals and the most goals they’ve ever scored against them. It’s also the most goals the Sounders have ever given up at home. A historic win for Portland, and some are saying the worst loss in the MLS era for Seattle. Portland then finalized the hire of Marti Cifuentes as their next head coach. The former Leicester City manager was surprisingly fired in January when Leicester were just 6 points off the playoff race. He’ll bring an attack-minded philosophy to the Timbers.

LAFC cruised to a 3-0 El Trafico win on the road against the LA Galaxy. LAFC punished the Galaxy in transition, and Son Heung-min scored his first goal of the season. It was the Galaxy’s first game without DP Gabriel Pec, who was transferred back home to Brazilian side Cruzeiro for a club record fee of reportedly $13.5M.

Nashville SC extended their unbeaten streak to 9 games and remain atop the Supporters’ Shield race with its 1-0 win over Atlanta United. It certainly wasn’t Nashville’s best performance of the season, but Shak Mohammed’s late header was the winner. Good teams find ways to win even when they don’t play great. That’s what Nashville did.

St. Louis City beat Sporting KC 3-2. Sporting KC came back from two goals down to draw level, but a controversial VAR review that led to Eduard Lowen’s penalty was the decider. The best part of the night was when a kid in the stands tried to bribe the ref, waving a $1 bill as he reviewed the call😆. MLS is back, baby!!

Goal of the Week

Another view of the winner.

Tweet of the Week

🤣 

Freddy made it to an MLS game!

LOL

Must watch.

Quick Hits

• England beat France in 10 goal 3rd place game (Link)

• Chicago Fire finalizing deal to sell Hugo Cuypers to CF Monterrey (Link)

• Interesting article on how MLS was the 6th best league at the World Cup (Link)

• San Diego FC sign Tunisian winger Elias Achouri to DP deal (Link)

With love,

Max & Mason