​Spain’s 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday made it difficult to dispute that the country is producing the best football on the planet.Along with their second World Cup title, Spain are reigning champions of the Euros and Olympic Games, along with the Women’s World Cup.Here are the main takeaways from the final:Spain in controlLa Roja captured this World Cup using ball mastery, with an emphasis on possession stifling the opposition’s ability to attack. By playing keep-away, Spain prevented Argentina’s Lionel Messi from being involved for most of the final match.In eight games, La Roja conceded only one goal, a Charles De Ketelaere header over Pau Cubarsi for Belgium in the quarterfinal.wSpain lacked traditional rough and ready central defenders, such as their 2010 pairing of Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos. But Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte got things done with finesse and positioning. They were backed by goalkeeper Unai Simon, whose anticipation and unhesitating willingness to leave the penalty area short-circuited a sixth-minute Messi run, as he did against France’s Kylian Mbappe in the semifinals.Not that they couldn’t be physical, but Laporte actually helped Messi up after flooring him in stoppage time, something Ramos probably would not have done.La Roja’s array of wingersPre-tournament hype focused on Spain’s right wing, that is, 19-year-old Lamine Yamal.Well, they got the correct area of the field, but Yamal did not prove to be the difference-maker in the final.After 19-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi caused Enzo Fernandez to be red-carded, enabling Spain to play a man up during added time, plus extra time, right back Pedro Porro provided the cross to set up Ferran Torres’ goal.The deciding sequence began with Yamal laying off for Porro, who one-timed a curling, back-post cross, perfectly placed for left winger Nico Williams to head down for Torres’ left-foot half-volley.Difficult to fault Spain’s manager Luis de la Fuente, but the outcome might have been decided earlier had he started Williams over Alex Baena.Williams had a 96th-minute finish controversially disallowed, and short-circuited after going in alone on Emiliano Martinez. But he terrorised Nahuel Molina with his dribbling, and skipped past Molina before finding Torres.As for Cubarsi, announcers took to calling him “Cubarsito”, reflecting his youthfulness. Cubarsi looked the part, flashing a buck-toothed smile after teammates ceremonially paddled him through a gauntlet on the way to accepting the “Young Player’’ award.Giuseppe Bergomi, listed as the only previous teenage World Cup-winning starting centre back, was 18 when he started the 1982 semifinal and final for Italy. Bergomi, though, seemed older than his years, mustachioed and later earned the nickname Lo Zio (“Uncle”).Spain’s Ferran Torres scores the winning goal past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez [Ashley Landis/AP Photo]How it adds up for RodriThe