The 2026 World Cup has finally ended with Spain defeating defending champion Argentina 1-0 to win their second World Cup title on an extra time goal by Ferran Torres. Spain previously won in 2010.
Latin America and much of the world were rooting against Argentina for a myriad of reasons - having Lionel Messi, being the defending world champion, being a perceived favorite of FIFA and being the beneficiary of questionable referee calls and just plain old politics. Some of the animus towards Argentina is motivated by anti-Semitism as a sports analyst in Algeria recently claimed the "Jewish lobby" was trying to fix another title for Argentina.
From where I sit, I am deeply troubled by the Spanish government's visceral hatred towards Israel and belligerent mobs running after Jews for being Jews while shouting "baby murderers". Conversely, the Argentinian government wants Latin America to have closer relations with Israel although Jews are in danger there as we are the world over.
In fairness, Spain's soccer team does not represent the Spanish government. There is no question they are the best soccer team in the world. Indeed, Spain conceded only one goal during the entire tournament and that was against Belgium in the quarterfinal. It is the fewest goals ever conceded by a team at a World Cup. Spain has cause for celebration.
The only matchup I watched for any extended period was between Argentina and Cape Verde during the Fourth of July weekend. But with Cape Verde's near upset of the Argentinian squad, I got into the spirit of things if only briefly.
There were certainly some good things about the World Cup which standout.
The first was Scottish fans coming to Boston drinking us under the table until we had no more, cleaning up after themselves and falling in love with the place. I have no doubt the Scots will visit us again - World Cup or no World Cup.
The second was how soccer fans knew John Denver's "(Take Me Home) Country Roads" even if they weren't from this country. Even if people never set foot in West Virginia, most people have an idea of what their "almost heaven" is like. Of course, I set foot in West Virginia last year and now have a first-hand appreciation of what John Denver sang about even if he, Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert had never been there when they wrote the song more than half a century ago.
But then there were some not so good things.
There was President Trump personally demanding FIFA overturn a red card suspension of Team USA player Folarin Balogun which they did. His stifling presence loomed today as he presented Spain with the World Cup trophy to lusty jeers from the crowd assembled in New Jersey.
And then there were was the anti-Semitism. Aside from accusations of the "Jewish lobby" trying to ensure an Argentinian victory, there was the spectacle of a fan with an Israeli flag being confiscated while Palestinian flags were permitted during Iran's matchup against New Zealand. Egyptian fans, egged on by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, blamed Jews and Zionists for their loss to Argentina. Things were considerably uglier in The Netherlands after Moroccan fans chanted, “Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas,” after their team was ousted by France in the quarterfinals.
Some soccer fans get their kicks out of hate. Yet I shudder to think what is in store for Jews during the 2030 World Cup.
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