Championship frustration for Franco Colapinto: Spain "the deserved winner"

– In the final of the Football World Cup between Spain and Argentina last Sunday, three Formula 1 drivers were particularly excited. In the end, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were able to celebrate Spain’s second World Cup title, while Franco Colapinto had to live with disappointment for Argentina.

Read more FT1 Hungary: Refurbished Aston Martin falls apart!

For Sainz, the success was not surprising: “I always had the feeling that Spain would win, considering how they played throughout the entire tournament,” he says ahead of the Formula 1 race in Hungary. “I felt that victory was destined for Spain, and I am very happy that they made it.”

In his opinion, the Iberians’ title win was also deserved: “In my opinion, they played the best football of all teams at this World Cup. I am happy, very proud to be Spanish, proud to see them celebrate and be successful.”

Alonso: Spain does many things right in sports

His compatriot Fernando Alonso sees it the same way, having enjoyed watching the final. He also believes that Spain “played a great tournament” – and not just this one: “All Spaniards are very proud of the national team, which has won three European Championships and two World Cups in the last 20 years,” he emphasizes.

“It seems that we are also world champions in women’s football, so there are a few good things that the country is probably doing right in football. It’s great to see the whole country celebrating,” says the Aston Martin driver.

Above all, he positively highlights that football connects all regions – even those that usually have problems with each other. “Sometimes in Spain we have this problem with different regions that are very proud of their own flag, but then football connects everything and we are all very proud to be Spanish,” says Alonso.

“So: yes, great, and in four years we’ll attack again.”

Colapinto has to admit: Spain was better

But where there is joy, there is also sorrow: For Franco Colapinto, the evening with the hopeless 0-1 from the Argentinians’ perspective did not go as he had hoped. “Tough, of course,” is the Alpine driver’s brief conclusion on the final.

Read more Following Bahrain’s exit: Malaysia reviews plans for Formula 1 race in 2026

However, unlike many other Argentinians, he can certainly acknowledge that Spain “really played the best football of the entire World Cup” and is therefore “clearly the deserved winner”.

Light and Shadow at Mercedes: Antonelli wins, Russell crashes I Race F1 Spa-Franchorchamps

“But I am very proud of the team, very proud of Argentina, of [Lionel] Messi and of all the players from our country. I think all of us in Argentina feel very well represented by them, the way they played, and the way they defend the jersey,” says Colapinto. “I am very proud to be Argentinian.”

“Of course, life goes on, but in a way, these are the last games of a generation that has given us a lot of joy and many beautiful moments. These are just those moments that sometimes happen in football. They are two countries that have always been very close, and it was a fantastic final to watch and a great final as a Latino.”

Colapinto condemns emerging enmities

“Having a final between two Spanish-speaking countries was fantastic, but then that creates exactly all these divisions,” he continues. “The things that a sport like football produces – they now seem like huge enemies.” He didn’t find that very nice.

“Messi brought Spain so many happy moments during his time at Barcelona, and in the end, it turned out quite badly and seemed like a war between the two countries. I don’t like to see something like that. Since football is the most-watched sport in the world, it’s not nice to see and show something like that.”

“Of course, he didn’t bring many happy moments to Madrid, but just to see them burn a Messi jersey and things like that…”, he criticizes. “Football produces such things that don’t exist in Formula 1, and I don’t like that.”

Read more Porsche plans massive job cuts: 5,000 more jobs at risk

“But Spain are the worthy winners.”