For 39 consecutive days, the world moved into North America, unpacking its flags, songs, superstitions and rivalries, then turned 16 cities across three countries into soccer’s largest block parties.

The first 48-team World Cup arrived carrying understandable concerns. Would the infrastructure hold? Were tickets too expensive? Would fans travel far?

By the time Spain lifted the trophy Sunday night, nearly every doubt had been buried beneath gold confetti.

A record 6,810,966 spectators attended 104 matches. Television audiences soared in the United States and around the globe. The final between Spain and Argentina drew an estimated audience approaching 2 billion, capping a tournament whose cumulative reach was measured in the billions.

Now that the stadium lights have dimmed, here are the World Cup’s biggest winners and losers.

Winner: The United States

The U.S. did more than stage 78 matches without a major security incident. It welcomed the world. Americans embraced Viking rows, bagpipes, Japanese cleanup, Curaçaoan dancing and every visiting tradition in between. The world discovered barbecue, ranch dressing, NFL stadiums and a country far warmer than its headlines suggested.

Loser: VAR

The video assistant referee became the tournament’s accidental villain. Croatia’s hair touch against Portugal, Argentina’s favorable reviews and disputed decisions involving Egypt, Germany and Norway repeatedly strangled celebration. Technology was supposed to correct obvious mistakes. Instead, it stifled the joy that is the “beautiful game.”

Winner: Mexico and Canada

Canada hosted its first World Cup and reached the Round of 16 for the first time. Mexico finally escaped its knockout curse by beating Ecuador at the Azteca. Together with the U.S., the nations proved North America could host the planet without losing the tournament’s color, noise or identity.

Loser: The Folarin Balogun red-card controversy

Balogun’s overturned suspension should have been a football matter. Instead, outside interference, public claims of influence and FIFA’s muddled messaging created a circus around the U.S. team. Belgium fed off the chaos, mocked it openly and sent the Americans home with a humiliating 4-1 defeat.

Winner: Soccer

Call it soccer or football. The sport won. New fans learned the songs, old fans found new heroes and previously indifferent cities treated group matches like holidays. MLS says it will carry the momentum forward. After this summer, it has never received a better handoff.

Loser: “VARgentina” and Argentina’s sportsmanship

Argentina reached another final, but its knockout run was stained by favorable VAR decisions, an extra level of physicality and an ugly ending. Enzo Fernández’s reckless dismissal and Leandro Paredes’ postgame clashes completed a terrible final image. Skipping mandatory media duties only deepened the impression of champions who did not know how to lose.

Winner: Lionel Messi

At 39, Messi somehow authored another extraordinary World Cup. Eight goals, four assists, the Silver Boot and Silver Ball barely captured his influence. He dragged an uneven Argentina side to a third final and produced late magic against England. Defeat hurt, but his claim as the greatest ever only grew stronger.

Loser: Iran

Iran endured legitimate disruptions and questionable treatment, but its constant complaints eventually overwhelmed its football. The team came agonizingly close to advancing before a marginal offside erased a late winner against Egypt. Still, the grievance-heavy messaging became exhausting and obscured a resilient, unbeaten group-stage performance.

Winner: Kylian Mbappé

Mbappé won another Golden Boot and became the first player to lead two separate World Cups in scoring. His two goals in the third-place spectacle moved him past Messi as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.

Loser: Panama

A total of 308 goals were scored across 104 matches. Panama contributed none of them. In the largest and highest-scoring World Cup ever played, it became the only nation that failed to find the net even once.

Winner: Spain

Spain was unquestionably the best team. Seven clean sheets, one goal conceded, midfield control and composure under pressure carried La Roja past France and Argentina. Spain also became the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles simultaneously.

Loser: Thomas Tuchel

England recorded its best World Cup finish on foreign soil, yet Tuchel’s semifinal tactics invited criticism. After Anthony Gordon scored, England surrendered possession, retreated into survival mode and allowed Argentina to attack relentlessly. A historic run ended because England became frightened of its own opportunity.

Winner: Erling Haaland

Haaland scored seven goals in five matches and carried Norway into the quarterfinals, including a stunning victory over Brazil. His performances made him a global tournament icon, while Norway’s rowing supporters became a cultural phenomenon.

Loser: Brazil

Brazil’s drought now stretches beyond two decades. A narrow escape against Japan preceded a shocking elimination by Norway, ending Neymar’s final World Cup before the quarterfinals. The midfield looked old and the five-time champions again appeared trapped beneath the weight of their own history.

Winner: Cape Verde and Vozinha

Cape Verde gave the tournament its fairy tale. The smallest nation ever to qualify held Spain scoreless and nearly eliminated Argentina. Vozinha, its 40-year-old goalkeeper, became a global star, gaining more than 20 million followers on social media and reminding the sport that wonder does not require wealth, pedigree or even full-time employment.

Loser: Germany

Germany has not won a World Cup knockout match since the 2014 final. Paraguay’s Round of 32 victory exposed a predictable team and ended Julian Nagelsmann’s tenure.

Winner: Morocco

Morocco confirmed it is a top five nation. Another quarterfinal appearance, emerging stars and a competitive defeat to France strengthened the Atlas Lions’ belief ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

Loser: Christian Pulisic

Pulisic struggled when the United States needed its biggest star most. His injury exit against Belgium, subdued performance and comments about finally getting rest landed badly after elimination.

Winner: Hossam Hassan

Egypt’s manager used football’s largest stage to speak about Palestinian suffering and the sport’s moral responsibilities. His team lost to Argentina, but Hassan’s appeal for humanity carried far beyond the result. In a tournament often dominated by corporate language, he said something raw, risky and meaningful.

Loser: Asia

Only Japan survived the group stage, and it immediately exited in the Round of 32. The AFC’s nine representatives won just three of 29 matches. The expanded field was supposed to reveal progress. Instead, it exposed how much distance remains between most of Asia and the elite.