The World Cup of stars ended with a trophy lift for the team whose strength lies in its collective.
Spain, so understated in its brilliance, is on top of the world, winning a championship with 1,000 cuts.
The last came in East Rutherford on Sunday when Ferran Torres’ left foot gave Spain its deliverance after 106 long minutes.
After an afternoon Spain had spent searching for a way past the imperious Emiliano Martínez, that was all it needed for a 1-0 victory and the second World Cup title in its history.
This team, with its deliberate nature, seemingly endless possession and short passing, brought to mind the first Spanish champions, back in 2010, that won all tournament long.
So too did this final fittingly resemble 2010’s — right down to Spain’s extra-time winner against an opponent down to 10 men.
It would be inaccurate to say Spain won this tournament without any stars, given Lamine Yamal’s prominence both on the field and commercially, and given that Rodri is a Ballon d’Or winner in midfield.
But all tournament long, their contributions were almost entirely off the scoresheet.
So it was as well Sunday when Spain, just like it has all tournament, slowly wrapped its grip around Argentina until a goal felt inevitable.
Luis de la Fuente’s side plays soccer like a current runs through a river.
Before you notice it, it has total control.
That control, by the second hydration break, had fully asserted itself, even as the match remained scoreless.
Spain was bearing down on Argentina as Martínez caught Torres’ header right before the break, and it seemed only a matter of time.
Martínez made sure it would be as much time as possible, with a World Cup-record 10 saves in the 90 minutes of regulation time, but his team had no answer.
Enzo Fernández, who had scored the game-tying goal in the semifinal against England, was sent off after 92 minutes, earning a second yellow card for a late challenge on Pau Cubarsí.
That left Argentina — which had played as if it were a man down all afternoon — actually down a man and clinging on for dear life.
With Martínez’s 10th save — on a Yamal free kick that followed a borderline reckless challenge from Leandro Paredes, who was playing on a yellow — Argentina made it that far.
Twice in the first seven minutes of extra time, Nico Williams had golden chances to take the lead for Spain.
The first, off his head, was denied by Martínez’s best save of the day.
The second, which ended up in the net, was wiped off due to Mikel Merino’s foul in the buildup.
Williams, though, didn’t squander a third opportunity, after Pedro Porro’s cross found him at the back post.
Instead of heading it toward Martínez, he sent it backward, where the left foot of Torres could smash it into an open net.
Like Andrés Iniesta in Johannesburg in 2010, Torres flew toward the corner flag and was surrounded by teammates.
There were 14 minutes left, plus stoppage time, and that an exhausted, 10-man Argentina side began to produce chances under such circumstances only begged the question of whether this was possible all along.
Though his stature ensures he is still the story, Lionel Messi was largely a footnote in what could be his final game with the national team.
With Argentina pinned back for nearly the duration, there were almost no chances for Messi to impact the game, and it is hard to recall any moments in which he did so.
Sadly for Argentina, the only contributions its outfield players seemed to make this afternoon were hard-charging tackles — some of which resulted in bookings, others that were lucky to avoid them.
Though Fernández’s first yellow card, given for dissent in the 83rd minute, seemed a tad harsh, there were a series of other moments in which referee Slavko Vincic gave Argentina a break.
Really, Lionel Scaloni — who burned through all five of his subs by the 70th minute — was without answers for this Spain team, just like France coach Didier Deschamps before him.
Against this version of Spain, perhaps there were none.
Even in the game’s feeling-out stage, which lasted the entire first half, there was nothing in it for Argentina.
It became the first team in World Cup final history to go 90 minutes without a shot, and didn’t seriously threaten the entire game until it was down 1-0 and throwing the kitchen sink in the final minutes.
Not only is Spain the world champion, but it became the first European champion to beat the South American champion in a World Cup final.
The country holds the Women’s World Cup as well.
It’s rare that any nation has ever held such an emphatic grip on the title of the world’s best soccer country.
Spain grabbed that title the way it seems to do everything else: by making it inevitable.
