Spanish expats in Dubai celebrate World Cup triumph as Spain’s composure, family ties and football’s unity shine

Dubai: Thousands of kilometres away, it still felt like home.

Watching your country win a World Cup is one thing. Watching it from a different continent, surrounded by every nationality except your own, is another entirely.

"It was absolute ecstasy! I had completely lost my voice the next day," says Jordi Wiersma Balcells.

"When you are far from home and get to share these moments with your wife and friends, you feel a deep sense of unity, the same unity that defined this Spanish team throughout the entire tournament."

Blanca Franco Medina felt something similar.

"It was so exciting, but also nerve-racking. Living abroad made it even more special because there were people from so many different nationalities supporting Spain. The atmosphere in Dubai almost felt like celebrating back home."

A split verdict on Argentina

Not every reaction to Argentina's response after the final was the same, and a few even split their own opinion in two.

"I shouldn't say too much because I have a lot of Argentine friends who will kill me after reading this," Jordi laughs. "But honestly, it was sad to see such a poor image on the pitch. True champions are defined not just by their victories, but by how they handle their losses." The fans, he says, were a different story entirely. "Most Argentinians were very gracious and congratulated us as deserving champions."

Blanca leaned toward that same generosity. "We all saw a few reactions that weren't ideal, but I don't think it's fair to judge an entire country based on the actions of a few people."

Paz was less forgiving of the team itself. "It was disappointing to see some players turn their backs on the champions instead of showing respect. The players are role models for millions of people, especially children."

What actually won it

Ask any of them why Spain lifted the trophy, and the answer keeps circling back to one word: composure.

"They stayed focused, played as a team, and kept believing until the end," Blanca says. Paz points to a squad with no single reliance on star power. "Spain has a very young generation and doesn't depend on one superstar. They stuck to their style the entire competition, wanting the ball, never dropping back just to protect the score."

Jordi puts a name to that youth movement. "I'm a huge fan of Cubarsí. At only 19 years old, he's a World Champion and played at such an unbelievable level," he says. "Sometimes we don't realise just how young these players are and what massive achievements they've already pulled off."

Football running through the family

For several of them, this win landed on top of a lifetime of football already woven through their households.

"My dad would take my siblings and me to the Real Madrid stadium, so I grew up surrounded by football," Blanca says. "My dad was also a football coach, my brother played football, and our family lunches somehow always ended up being about football."

Elena's household carries it across two cultures at once. "My children's father is Emirati, and I am Spanish, so they are growing up with two football cultures. Their uncles also played football too, so you could say football runs through our veins," she says.

"It wasn't only about the goals or the trophies. It was about the emotions, the respect, the unforgettable moments. Football isn't just in our home, it runs in our blood."

A win that meant something more personal

For Ana Manjavacas Abad, this final carried a weight the scoreline alone couldn't capture. Her uncle, the person who first sparked her love of football, had passed away only the week before.

"It was a very emotional moment," she says. "My uncle, who ignited my passion for football, just passed away last week, so this victory felt like life honouring him, and it made my family and I feel closer, especially as they live in Spain and we are far in these tough times.

"Even in that grief, her instinct leaned toward grace rather than rivalry. "We need to respect one another and be kind. Being kind will always lead to winning long term, regardless of the outcome."

A tournament worth staying up for

Beyond the result itself, Paz pointed to what made this particular World Cup stand out. "Spain right now holds the World Cup championship for male and female, it is something big," she says. "What I liked most was how unpredictable the tournament was. There were so many surprises, with teams nobody expected to go far, putting the biggest teams under real pressure."

For a community watching from thousands of kilometres away, that unpredictability, and the win at the end of it, gave them something to gather around together.

Blanca puts it as: "Even people I know that don't really follow football, they were into it with their heart and soul."