What to Know
Before Spain cinched the win at the World Cup Final against Argentina on Sunday, one of the celebrities involved in the star-studded finale called attention to himself in a bit of an awkward way. After Tom Cruise referred to the sport as “football” instead of “soccer,” his fellow Americans clocked it immediately — and even fans abroad, who actually do call it football, aren’t impressed with his word choice, either.
Tom gave a speech about what the sport means to the world.
Tom Cruise gives an inspirational speech while opening the FIFA #WorldCup final:
— Variety (@Variety) July 19, 2026
"So as we gather for one final chapter, let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together. Let us celebrate each other. This is football. This is unity. This is greatness."
(via FOX) pic.twitter.com/xNxQPhnaqA
Before the game began, Tom stepped out onto the field to get a little emotional about soccer, and the ways that the game brings people from all over the world together.
But just to be clear (again) he didn’t call it soccer — he called it football, and every time he said the word “football,” it stuck out like a sore thumb.
“More than 30 days ago, eight nations began a journey. They crossed oceans, they crossed borders, they crossed cultures, and together they showed us why this game belongs to the world,” he said in his speech. “We have witnessed greatness, and we have shared in moments of joy. Moments of hope, moments we will all never forget. Football is a language spoken without words, a force that unites people, that turns strangers into friends, and reminds us of what we all have in common.”
Americans didn’t love his word choice.
One incredulous post on X read, “Bro just called it football.”
According to Unilad, another fan who tuned in wrote, “Tom Cruise calling it football while standing in East Rutherford, New Jersey is a absolute betrayal. You are the face of American box office cinema! Stand up for the word soccer!”
Suffice it to say that this is a topic that many people feel very passionately about.
Non-Americans didn’t like that he called it ‘football’ either, so he really couldn’t win.
For a moment there I was expecting the Top Gun theme to start playing
— Noel Yaneza (@noelyaneza) July 20, 2026
One London based Facebook fan page wrote in a post, “Tom Cruise giving the worst, most American speech ever to a crowd full of South Americans and Spanish speaking guests sums America up.”
Others called his speech “Yanksplaining” the sport, which is clever — we’ll hand it to them.
In the end, Tom was going to lose either way. The athletes actually playing in the World Cup Final (and their fans) refer to the sport they were playing as “football,” and America isn’t The Entire World, so in that way, Tom’s choice was right — but people also know that he is American, so in every day conversation. he’d refer to it as “soccer.” He probably couldn’t have made everybody happy either way.
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