Vietnamese football expert: 'Spain winning the championship is a beautiful ending for football'

The Spanish national team won the 2026 World Cup after defeating Argentina 1-0. The goal was scored by Ferran Torres in the 106th minute. Coach Luis de la Fuente's players delivered a performance that was far superior to their opponents.

Coach Phạm Thành Lương, a former midfielder for the Vietnam national team, believes that Spain's championship is a beautiful conclusion for attacking football and possession-based play. He also praised Lamine Yamal and expressed regret that Lionel Messi could not lift the prestigious golden trophy once more.

Coach Thành Lương stated: "I must say that my first feeling is regret that Messi could not win the World Cup again. This could also be the last World Cup where we see Messi play. However, looking at the actual match developments, the Spanish team performed much better.

They played coherently, scientifically, with superior ball control. The Spanish team always escaped pressure extremely well with a midfield possessing world-class skills. Especially Rodri, his ability to hold the ball and control the tempo is superb, far above the rest.

Whenever Argentina tried to speed up and press to regain the ball, Spain could slowly regain control of the tempo. They made Argentina chase the ball according to their plan, playing the way they wanted. As for Yamal, I saw him grow tremendously.

In this tournament and the final, Yamal always adhered to the tactical instructions of the coach. He had very few improvised dribbles, passes, or shots. Nevertheless, Yamal always showcased his technique and ability, being the explosive core of the Spanish team when needed.

Speaking about the turning point of the match, I think it was the red card for Enzo Fernandez. If Argentina had kept 11 players, they could have taken the match to a penalty shootout. There, they have Emiliano Martinez who always plays excellently. After the red card, Argentina could not implement their intended game plan," Coach Phạm Thành Lương shared.

Former Vietnam national team goalkeeper, Coach Dương Hồng Sơn, also praised both the Spanish team and Yamal. He said that Spain had a successful final by completely controlling the match, forcing the opponent to play their way.

Coach Dương Hồng Sơn shared: "This is the most one-sided final I have ever witnessed. Spain completely controlled the match, they moved the ball smoothly, not rushing to attack Argentina's goal but accelerating at certain moments during the 90 minutes. Unfortunately, no goal was scored.

In extra time, Spain was not too hasty; they raised the tempo, exploiting the weakness in Argentina's central defense. The goal at the start of the second half of extra time came when they increased the pace, taking advantage of Argentina's lack of concentration.

Yamal in this tournament sacrificed a lot. He played the role of a decoy, stretching the opponent's defense to create space for teammates. When needed, Yamal still showed his composure and skill.

The most regrettable case is Messi. He carried the entire Argentina team deep into the tournament. However, one Messi is not enough."