The 2026 World Cup is over. Spain won the tournament in style, thanks not only to its total dominance but also to its beautiful, mature play and consistent, clean, attacking football.
They repeated their success in 2010 when they first won the World Cup, with the same young squad.
If in 2010 they were successful with a squad with an average age of 24.5 years, then this year they were successful with a squad with an average age of 26 years.
However, there's a slight difference. Ten years ago, Spain didn't have any players under the age of 21. Now, they have two: Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, both 19.
Yamal also represents Spain's diversity and inclusiveness, which has been on the rise in recent years.
While the 2010 World Cup winning squad was almost entirely composed of white players, the 2026 World Cup squad will feature a much more diverse lineup, featuring players from various racial backgrounds, including players from the diaspora.
Yamal, whose father is Egyptian and whose mother is Equatorial Guinean, and Nico Williams, whose parents are Ghanaian, are the second generation of black Spanish players to appear in the World Cup finals after Ansu Fati, Alejandro Balde and Williams himself.
Meanwhile, Aymeric Laporte entered the squad as a diaspora who was born and raised in France.
The three players, who were instrumental in the success of the 2026 World Cup and Euro 2024, represent a new, more inclusive Spain.
In recent years Spain has become one of the most progressive countries in Europe, thanks to comprehensive legal reforms, aggressive campaigns of accessibility and social acceptance, all of which have successfully eroded social barriers in its society.
In contrast to a number of European countries which tend to be anti-foreigner and exclusive, Spain is increasingly embracing all social colors.
Therefore, Spain's success can be seen as a reward for their more open attitude toward diversity. An attitude that actually confirms the idea of an inclusive World Cup, as frequently promoted by FIFA and Gianni Infantino.
They achieved this success after defeating a team that has recently been linked with racist tendencies.
