Spain are world champions for the second time in their history after Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute to secure a 1-0 victory over defending champions Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
The Barcelona forward, introduced as a second-half substitute, pounced on a Pedri through ball inside the box and fired a left-footed shot under the crossbar to break the deadlock 37 seconds into the second period of extra time. The goal was Torres's first of the tournament — and arguably the most important of his career.
"It was a goal scored by 47 million people," Torres said, referring to Spain's population.
Spain's victory marked a crowning achievement for Luis de la Fuente's side, who became the first European nation to win the World Cup on North American soil. At 65, de la Fuente is now the oldest manager to lift the trophy.
The numbers tell the story of Spanish dominance. La Roja outshot Argentina 20-2, outpassed them 845-433, and took nine of the first ten corner kicks. Only a record 12 saves from Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez kept the scoreline respectable.
Argentina played the final stages of regulation with ten men after Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a reckless tackle. Tempers boiled over at the final whistle as players from both sides clashed on the pitch.
Spain conceded just one goal across the entire tournament — the fewest ever by a World Cup champion — and extended their unbeaten run to 38 matches, surpassing Italy's European record. With 14 goals scored and one conceded, they set a new standard for defensive excellence.
The victory means Spain hold both the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously, following the women's triumph in 2023 — a first in the history of the sport.
For Lionel Messi, playing in what he indicated would be his final World Cup at age 39, the fairytale ending eluded him. The Argentina captain, who had led his country to glory in 2022 and won consecutive Copa America titles, walked off the pitch in tears as Spanish players celebrated their historic achievement.
Lamine Yamal, less than a week past his 19th birthday and widely tipped as football's next generational talent, was the first to embrace Torres after the goal — a symbolic passing of the torch.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/argentina-spain-world-cup-final-score-messi-fccc26aa12d9226e63d06b601b770617
- https://apnews.com/article/messi-world-cup-final-75624679ec6aa25d36acb15af417d3c3
