A veteran Nigerian sports journalist, Charles Ojugbana, has described the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina as falling below global expectations, citing Argentina’s lacklustre performance and praising Spain’s consistency, quality and determination throughout the tournament.
Following the final game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Spain and Argentina at the New York, New Jersey Stadium, on Sunday, Ojugbana, while speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, said the match failed to live up to the expectations of a World Cup final, attributing the below-par display to player fatigue after a gruelling club season and the pressure of the tournament.
“I think there’s a general consensus globally that the standard of this World Cup final match was a little below par,” he said.
Adding, Ojugbana said: “I think that Argentina, particularly, did not come to the party with the gusto, determination, and excellence that they have come to be known for. With Lionel Messi in that squad, there was no reason why they shouldn’t take a shot at the target once in 90 minutes. That was very, very disappointing.
“However, all said and done, you have to give it to La Roja of Spain. They played their hearts out from the first game to the last match, and you could see that they were really, extremely, very good in every department of the game. They had quality across the pitch, they had the spirit, and they had the desire and the hunger. It worked out for them, so congratulations to Spain,” he remarked.
Attributing Spain’s World Cup triumph to teamwork, the veteran sports journalist said the champions distinguished themselves through exceptional cohesion, tactical discipline and a shared sense of purpose. According to him, the players understood one another’s positioning, roles and responsibilities, allowing them to function as a united team throughout the tournament.
“I think it is just one word: teamwork. That squad had cohesion, played like a unit, played with an understanding of each other, and showed that collectively they had a common desire and a common goal. It worked out for them.
“In football, it has to be your ability to understand the positioning, the thoughts, and the skill sets of your fellow players, as well as the patterns the coach tells you to play at a particular time. It’s a combination of all these things that gives you a team that is determined like we saw in Spain. In terms of team spirit, they were spot on,” he highlighted.
Speaking on the intersection of sports and politics, Ojugbana maintained that politics, racism, religion and discrimination have no place in football, arguing that allowing such issues into the game would undermine the unity, camaraderie and spirit that make sports a global unifying force.
“The story of sports and politics has come a long way, from the days of Hitler, to the days of apartheid boycotts, to people unfurling flags. But FIFA and sports in general have taken a firm decision that there is no place for racism, gender discrimination, politics, or religion in the sporting arena, and for very good reasons. FIFA has zero tolerance for things like that. If allowed to creep into sports, then the beauty, the joy, the camaraderie, and the oneness that makes sports and football what it is would be lost,” he warned.
He also criticised Argentina captain Lionel Messi over the controversial display by his team, saying the skipper should have intervened immediately and apologised publicly on behalf of the squad.
“Even Argentina themselves—it wasn’t long ago that they suffered a heavy fine for doing exactly what they repeated this time around. I was particularly very disappointed in Lionel Messi because, come to think of it, he was the captain of this team. Even if that flag came up without his knowledge, it was his duty to grab it, throw it away, and call his players to order. Assuming the passion was so much after that match, nothing stopped him as the leader from rendering a public apology on behalf of himself, his team, and his country. If we leave this unattended, it’s just not going to end. I think it’s condemnable, and I support all sporting bodies, including FIFA, on that stance that there should be no place for racism, politics, or religion in sports,” he said.
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