On the night Spain won their first World Cup in 2010, Rodrigo Hernández was a 14-year-old camper in Connecticut, watching alone on a mini-laptop.
When Andrés Iniesta scored in the 116th minute, he ran screaming around a lake.
Sixteen years later, Rodri was back in the US, this time as Spain's captain.
When Ferran Torres netted the winner in the 106th minute of the final, he sprinted toward his teammates.
After the match, he lifted the trophy—pausing for Donald Trump to leave the stage.
Rodri left the dressing room at 9:38 PM Eastern, the last man out, carrying the World Cup, the tournament's best player award, and a Lego replica.
He couldn't carry everything; Ladis had to help.
Pau Cubarsí, just 19, also needed assistance with his young player award. Luis de la Fuente walked with Paloma.
Every player received a replica World Cup in a Louis Vuitton trunk and a Lego version.
They also cut pieces of the net, collected shirts, balls, boots, and NBA-style rings.
A Night of Traditions and Emotions
Before the final, Marc Cucurella buried a coin in the pitch, echoing Joan Capdevila's 2010 ritual.
Andrés Iniesta showed the cup to the stands, and Sergio Ramos brought it back for the new generation.
Nico Williams handed his medal to his mother in the front row. Lamine Yamal embraced Lionel Messi, a symbolic passing of the torch.
Javier Bardem hugged Borja Iglesias. Ferran Torres spoke of a "great liberation," saying, "Destiny is written: God gives to those who deserve."
In the dressing room, champagne was opened briefly before the team headed to the airport for a 11 PM flight back to Spain.
Iglesias carried a giant bag and a red speaker playing "Dirty Cash (Money Talks)." Lamine Yamal emerged from anti-doping in orange sunglasses, four chains, and a black cap.
Dominance on the Pitch
Spain's 1-0 victory was more dominant than the scoreline suggests.
Argentina managed zero shots on target, and only three times in 900 World Cup games has a team failed to shoot.
Spain's xG against for the tournament was 0.3 per game.
Unai Simón said, "If my gloves could talk, they would say they didn't have much work to do."
Aymeric Laporte noted that many teams rely too much on their defense, but not Spain.
This was a triumph of the collective, built over 51 days, starting in Chattanooga.
Coach Luis de la Fuente, who began his career in the third tier and was unemployed for 18 months, has now won the European Championship with the under-19s, under-21s, senior side, and the World Cup.
"They asked me what there is left to win; we said the next game in September because they're insatiable," he said.
Cucurella, who promised a tattoo of De la Fuente's face if Spain won, now faces the decision of where to place it.
The coach joked, "It's not like I am so horrendously ugly that you have to put it somewhere it can't be seen."
Rodri, who overcame a torn cruciate ligament, said, "It doesn't matter if you fall, there's always a reason to get up again."
At 9:40 PM, he boarded the bus for the airport, carrying the actual World Cup.
