Ruiz

2026 FIFA World Cup: My Prediction For The Final

Jon The BlogcentricLeave a comment

Before I get into my blog, I would like to thank those who sent messages of support and condolences. The death of a parent is never easy and can be a shock. It will take some time to overcome. Actually there was a period of time when her health was in critical condition that I felt lost and neglected a lot of things that gave me vitality. It was during those days that I learned that writing is one thing that helped bring my vitality back. Back in June, it helped me get a lot of energy back. In talking with my father yesterday, he said it’s not too soon after my mother’s passing to publish a blog. She would want us to live life again. He’s right. Loss is hard but you have to live again.

Can you believe it? We had 102 matches this World Cup so far contested over these past 38 days! It’s crazy that the last World Cup, there were a total of 64 matches. Here, the end of the 64th match still had more Group Stage games to go! The Group Stage was loaded with craziness. First was the invincible play of Mexico, the shocking 6-0 win form Canada against Qatar, small nations like Cabo Verde and Curacao performing better than expected while nations like Turkey, Uruguay, Scotland, Tunisia and South Korea performing below their normal standard and paying the price. There was also the unfairness to Iran where they could play in the United States but had to train in Mexico. Their missed qualification is hugely disputed. There were a lot of calls made during the games that were widely disputed, but that’s common in every World Cup.

Then the Round Of 32: all three host nations won their matches, shocker penalty kick upsets with Paraguay over Germany, Egypt over Australia and Morocco over the Netherlands, and a tight match involving the two highly ranked teams of Portugal vs. Croatia which Portugal won. The Round Of 16 saw all three host nations fall. The fall to the United States was satisfying to their rival Belgium after the intervention of Donald Trump to get the red card of US player Folarin Balogun. In the Round Of 16, there was also the surprise win of Norway over Brazil, Switzerland’s penalty kick win over Colombia, another clash of two Top 10 teams with Spain vs. Portugal which Spain won, and Argentina’s come from behind over Egypt which many have found suspicious (more on that later). The quarterfinals had their own drama with many a tight game and close matches to be decided in added extra time like England’s win over Norway and Argentina’s win over Switzerland which was also controversial. The drama continued in the semifinals as Spain delivered a shocker winner over the more-favored French squad and the always-heated rivalry of England vs. Argentina where Argentina again came from behind. To say these World Cup matches have been packed with drama is an understatement.

THE FINAL: Spain vs Argentina

So here we are. Up until now, the biggest talk of the World Cup Final was to do about a Halftime Show. That would give a 30-minute halftime break which most football fans do not like the idea of all. If you thought the hydration breaks in the middle of each half got on tour nerves, wait until the Halftime Show! Nevertheless the biggest focus should be the play of the game and the contenders. On the subject of the contenders, it’s been 102 matches so far and it was what we needed at this Cup to determine which of the 48 teams are to be the final two to play for the Cup! Interesting note is this will be the first World Cup final since the very first final in 1930 that both teams come from Spanish-language nations! To sum up the two teams briefly, the Final is against reigning World Cup champions and current Copa America champions Argentina and the current European champions Spain. La Roja has only won the World Cup once before and this will only be their second World Cup final ever. La Albiceleste have won the World Cup three times and this will be their seventh World Cup final ever. Only Germany has been in more finals with eight finals each. So what do this year’s two finalists have in store? And who will win it?

SPAIN

Traditionally, Spain has been commonly known as ‘football’s greatest underachievers.’ They would always arrive at the World Cup with a squad full of talent and ability to win due to the players’ combined skill level, but they would frequently fall short as a team. Most of the time, they would find themselves out in the quarterfinals or sooner. The turning point came in 2010. They were the reigning European Champions. Their play was conservative but consistent and they won their first-ever World Cup.

They would repeat as European Champions in 2012 and would win the Confederations Cup in 2013, but it would all fall apart after that. At the 2014 World Cup, they were out in the Group Stage after losing their first two games badly. At both the 2016 Euro and the 2018 World Cup, they were out in the Round Of 16 of both tournaments. They finished in the semifinals of Euro 2020 but would later see World Cup disappointment again with another Round Of 16 finish. After that World Cup, Luis de la Fuente became the new head coach of the team. Before the World Cup, Spain under de la Fuente’s leadership won the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals and the 2024 Euro.

Here at this World Cup, Spain again showed success. They opened on a lackluster note with a scoreless draw to Cabo Verde, but would rally up in the group play by winning 4-0 to Saudi Arabia and 1-0 to Uruguay. The knockout round was where Spain really shined. They won their Round Of 32 match against Austria 3-0, their tight Round Of 16 match to Portugal with a last-minute goal from Merino, their quarterfinal against Belgium 2-1 and would win their semifinal against France 2-0.

Spain’s play has been very impressive at this World Cup as a result of the teamwork from goalkeeper Unai Simon, strikers Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino, midfielders Fabian Ruiz and 18 year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal, and defenders like Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella. Their play has been mostly consistent. However Spain has had a habit in the past of choking at major moments. This team has appeared to be on in terms of performing but they have made mistakes in play and it is possible they can commit an error they won’t be able to rally back on. If they want to win, they need to be dead-on.

ARGENTINA

Argentina and the World Cup almost seems synonymous. It is a bit misleading as they may have won three times but they’re more known for the times they fall short. That was especially exposed when Lionel Messi burst onto the scene. He made his World Cup debut in 2006 at the age of 19 and was nicknamed ‘Messidona.’ A third World Cup was anticipated with the growth of Messi’s career but it became a case where Argentina was putting all the pressure on Messi. Sure they had other competent players but Messi couldn’t be the only one holding the team together. That became evident after they lost the World Cup final in 2014. It was even more evident after their Round Of 16 exit in 2018 and past retirements of Messi from the national team, albeit short-lived retirements.

It was evident Argentina wanted to win the World Cup for the nation and for Messi. After the 2018 World Cup, Lionel Scaloni was hired as head coach. Scaloni and the AFA knew they needed other players that were also at the top of their game. In the years leading up to the 2022 World Cup, they got them. There’s goalkeeper Emi ‘Dibu’ Martinez, defenders Nicolas Tagliafico, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez, midfielders like Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo de Paul, and forwards like Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez joining Messi. The combination proved to be a winning success as they first won the 2021 Copa America. At the 2022 World Cup, they lost their opener to Saudi Arabia but made up for it by winning every match after. Even on penalty kicks in their quarterfinal against the Netherlands and the final for the Cup against France! Messi finally got his World Cup.

After Qatar 2022, there was a big question of how the team would be and if Messi would soon retire. As time went on, Messi continued with the team and the team had continued success with winning the Copa America in 2024 and success in qualifying for the World Cup. Along the years, they’ve added new stars to the team like forwards Nicolas Gonzales and Giuliano Simeone, and defender Facundo Medina. Here at the World Cup, they went through the Group Stage effortlessly with wins against Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0 and Jordan 3-1. In the knockout phase, there was win after win by defeating Cabo Verde 3-2 in added extra time, Egypt 3-2, Switzerland 3-1 in added extra time and England 2-1. Argentina proved themselves ready to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend their Cup.

Their wins may have dazzled crowds here at United 2026 but they’ve also garnered suspicion. Even before this World Cup, there has been suspicion that there would be a lot of corruption with FIFA President Giovanni Infantino having ties to Trump. One of the elements of corruption people have sensed is that Argentina has had the officiating in their favor so they can win matches. Many teams have sensed that they received more fouls than average but many teams have also sensed that Argentina is one of the least fouled teams at this Cup, if not the least fouled. The first suspicion started in the Round Of 16 match against Egypt where five of the players received cardings including one red carded while Argentina didn’t get any. Even how the win went from Egypt leading 2-0 after 80 minutes to Argentina scoring three in the remaining time did not sit well. This infuriated the Egyptian coach so much, he delivered an outburst that even got him a yellow card. Further suspicion came after their quarterfinal against Switzerland. Their win was another come-from-behind victory, Lautaro Martinez jumped into the stands and not getting his second yellow card of the match, and Swiss player Embolo got a double-yellow red card. Further investigation noticed the lack of fouls and carding on Argentina. The sense of match fixing from viewers has gotten so tense, some people have even stated on social media FIFA now stands for “Fixing It For Argentina.”

The sense of match fixing is enough to raise my eyebrows and question the legitimacy of the matches. I have seen many a match that looked too staged to be real. The arguments against Argentina seem very convincing. Meanwhile right after the England game, Messi has insisted that no play is scripted and none of the play is fixed. As for how it will affect play in the World Cup final, that is to question. Fixed or not, there’s no question Argentina wants the world to think it’s not fixed. If they win, people will think it was fixed by Infantino. If they lose, people may think they fixed it to make it look like it’s not fixed. The shoutings of such suspicions may or may not affect Argentina’s play but it is possible as the news of the overturned red card definitely affected the American team and may be why they lost to Belgium. Either which way, Argentina will have to play their best in the final and call their shots if they want to settle the score either by victory or defeat.

My Final Prediction: Finals are never easy to predict. Even the surest of the sure can be beat in the end. That’s sport. There’s no such thing as ‘rightfully yours.’ It’s all won. My prediction is I expect Spain to win and the score to be 2-1 in Added Extra Time.

And there you have it! That’s my prediction for the 2026 World Cup Final. It’s thirty-nine eyebrow-raising days in the making in what has become the biggest World Cup ever. But that’s what it all boils down to.

One Final Note: With the recent passing of my mother, I have something to show you. My mother was very creative. Her creativity ranged in making crafts for sale like baker’s clay, sewn kitchenware, fabric jewellery and would also go into quilting. Many years ago, she made me a quilt I still keep on top of my bed. The quilt she made for me were of my favorite things and hobbies at the time which are things I still like. She had the computer for my writing, masks for my love of drama, a camera for my hobby of photography, and play of the World Cup as you can see at the bottom. Thanks Mom for reminding me to let my own creativity come out!

VIFF 2023 Review: The Wait (La Espera)

Jon The BlogcentricLeave a comment
Victor Clavijo stars as a Spanish marksman/farmer who seems to be possessed by something supernatural in The Wait.

With the VIFF ending the following day (October 8th) and Halloween about to come, it’s natural to want to see at least one more Altered States film. Though the Spanish film The Wait doesn’t have your common Halloween scariness, it does give you the fear and suspense you look for in such a film.

It is 1973 in the Andalusian countryside. A hunter named Eladio agrees to supervise the hunting grounds of land belonging to Don Francisco. He supervises one of ten grounds Don Francisco owns. He brings his wife Marcia and his son Floren to live on the land, but soon learns the land he supervises is quite desolate. He’s able to take Floren practice shooting, but Marcia is unhappy. She lets him know how much he let her down.

As his service comes close to reaching three years, Don Carlos, Don Francisco’s second in command, offers him a bribe to add an additional three stands to the area. Eladio is reluctant but Marcia wants him to accept since money has been scarce with his duty. Eladio accepts, unaware of what lays ahead. One day, Eladio takes Floren out practice shooting. Other marksmen are on the site. Out of nowhere, a bullet hits Floren in the head. Eladio is heartbroken but Marcia is devastated. She soon commits suicide. How can all these troubles happen to Eladio all at once?

Eladio soon becomes an alcoholic and finds himself in a violent nature he can’t control. The dog also shows moments of violent behavior. Eladio also notices bizarre images during his drunken hallucinations like slaughtered chickens, a goat’s head, and a human toenail in his stew. He sees Marcia in one of his hallucinations, but she curses him. Another hallucination, he sees Floren. He hopes to reunite, but instead sees Floren bloodied from the accident and reminds Eladio of the wrong he did and he will pay.

As the days get closer to the end of the lease, Eladio is frustrated and he goes to the mansion of Don Francisco. He notices something disturbing. He first sees a photograph of a family from three years ago on the land, and another photograph of another family three years earlier on that same land, and another and another. Eladio is scared. Is he part of a trap? Were those families in the photo also subject to that very curse Eladio is going through and claimed his family?

The day finally comes. It’s the end of the three years. Eladio faces up to Don Francisco at his mansion, but he also faces up to Don Carlos, Marcia, Floren and all the families of the other men who accepted that same bribe before. Their fate for what they accepted now becomes Eladio’s. The ending will have you at the edge of your seat.

This is a film that lets the suspense build slowly. The film starts as a man who made a bad purchase on the land and his wife lets him know it. Then the bribe starts the series of misfortunes such as the son’s accidental shooting death and the wife’s suicide. They all seem tragic, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a curse. It’s only until a short time before the lease is set to expire we learn there is a curse. Eladio senses it before we do and unravels it before our eyes. This is a curse that has plagued the families who also leased the land before him. It seems as though Don Francisco has this cursed land to set up families for their tragic fate and we learn about it as Eladio slowly learns about it. Don Francisco even told him about treating the land like family and if one betrays family, he will pay. It seems as though that contract from Don Francisco isn’t simply a three-year lease on the land but something that can be a loyalty test that could end up a “death warrant.” Anything that should be labeled a “death warrant” only kills the individual, but this is something that robs Eladio of prosperity, his family, his possessions, his colleagues and eventually himself. Just like those that leased the land before him! Did they also fall prey to a bribe like Eladio’s?

Another thing that grabs me about this film is that it’s estimated to be set in the year 1973. I find that as something of intrigue to me since Spain was under the fascist regime of dictator Francisco Franco at the time. I have seen two other films that were set during Franco-era Spain: Pan’s Labyrinth and Pa Negre. I’ve come to sense that Franco-era Spain is a common theme in a lot of Spanish film. It’s a period of their history that’s long passed but hard to overcome. Even though there are no specific signs in this film pointing to it, I do sense certain elements in the film reflecting the harshness of that era. Things like how farmers had limited prosperity back then, things like how Eladio was illiterate, and things like corrupt ownership. It can leave one thinking that.

The film itself is intended to be a paranormal thriller. One thing about it is it’s a story that slowly builds over time. The film begins with a slow melodramatic start. It’s when the tragedies in Eladio’s life happen that the story changes and the aftermath when the bizarre and the supernatural occur. The film does a good job in building itself as time progresses, leading up to the climactic finish. At the same time, this appears to be a film that tries to mix many genres together. That’s very tricky to do. The film doesn’t do a stellar accomplishment of trying to mix film genres together but it does a very good job here.

This film is a great work from director/writer F. Javier Gutierrez. This is only his third film in which he’s written and directed. It’s a very impressive work in taking dramatic story and mixing various film genres and styles together into what would eventually become a paranormal thriller. He tells his story not just with the dialogue but also with imagery and effective cinematography that adds to the story. I feel Gutierrez did a very good job, despite the film starting off slow.

Also adding to the story is the acting of Victor Clavijo. With him being the protagonist Eladio, he adds to the story’s intensity with his moments of silence as much as adds to it with the dialogue. Those with supporting roles added to the story and the drama, despite how short of a time they had. The cinematography from Miguel Angel Mora adds to the story and the musical score from Zeltia Montes adds to the intensity.

This film has been able to earn some accolades in the film festival circuit. It’s nominations and wins include: the Official Fantastic Competition at the Sitges – Catalonian Festival; Audience Award for Best Film at the Oldenburg Film Festival; five nominations including Best Director and Best Cinematography at the FilmQuest Festival; Clavijo winning Best Actor and Gutierrez nominated for Best Director at the ScreamFest; and two wins and the Audience Award for Best Picture at the Fantastic Fest.

The Wait is a film about a supernatural curse. It builds slowly, but the suspense greatly builds near the end. Definitely a film that will get your attention.