World Cup: taking stock after Spain’s victory

Ultimately, the World Cup was a defeat for the US President, Sydsvenskan observes:

“The tournament was, above all, proof that European openness trumps American isolation, and not just on the pitch. Europe celebrated in style, despite Fifa’s attempts to sell the sport to autocrats, tournament by tournament: in Russia in 2018, in Qatar in 2022 and this year in Trump’s US. For many Americans, the World Cup probably served as a reminder of the Europe that the US has turned its back on with its America First doctrine: Norwegians rowing in Times Square, Scots drinking beer in Boston, and seas of orange-clad Dutch fans in Houston. Without these images, football is nothing.”