Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday, with Ferran Torres scoring in the 106th minute to secure the FIFA World Cup 2026 title.
The substitute converted from inside the penalty area after Argentina had been reduced to 10 players, giving Spain their second men’s World Cup crown and first since 2010.
Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card in second-half stoppage time following a challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsí. Spain then maintained their pressure in extra time before Torres broke the deadlock.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez kept his team in contention with a World Cup final-record 12 saves. Spain produced the game’s first 20 attempts before Argentina registered their opening shot during the second half of extra time.
Torres said the winning goal belonged to Spain’s entire population and credited the team’s confidence in its style of play despite facing Lionel Messi.
The defeat denied defending champions Argentina consecutive titles and ended Messi’s likely final World Cup appearance without another trophy. Spain also completed the tournament having conceded only one goal in eight matches, a record for a World Cup champion.
Read: Argentina vs Spain Final: Messi Faces Yamal in New Jersey
Spain’s victory also made the country the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup titles simultaneously, following its women’s triumph in 2023
