Spain won their second World Cup title after Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute smashed finish earned a 1-0 win against defending champions Argentina in the 2026 final.
Spain were deserved winners. Torres scored with Spain’s 20th shot while the game ended without Argentina registering a single shot on target.
Lionel Messi touched the ball just 54 times in a match that took three hours to complete and featured a 27-minute half-time break.
Spain’s win had shades of their maiden victory in 2010 too, scoring in the second period of extra time after a goalless 90 minutes. Then, it was Andres Iniesta against the Netherlands – now another Barcelona player, Torres, adds his name to the history books.
Spain’s Rodri lifts the World Cup
A nod back from fellow substitute Nico Williams saw the former Manchester City forward storm on to the ball and fire past Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez. It came minutes after Williams had an initial strike ruled out for an alleged Mikel Merino foul on Nicolas Otamendi.
Argentina did keep their shape well as Spain applied consistent pressure – especially after Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a reckless second yellow at the end of normal time – and relied on Martinez to make a string of saves.
Enzo Fernandez fouls Pau Cubarsi resulting in a red card for the Argentina midfielder
Enzo Fernandez was sent off late in the second half as Argentina finished the game with ten players
Their only threat emerged in added-on time at the end of extra time, with Giuliano Simeone blazing over a shot that could have sent the game to penalties.
But there was no fairytale end to Messi’s expected final World Cup appearance, with the Argentina skipper anonymous for much of the game. He was also beaten to his first World Cup Golden Boot by France’s Kylian Mbappe, who won it by two goals.
A tearful Lionel Messi reacts to Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Spain remain undefeated under manager Luis de la Fuente in tournament matches and add a World Cup win to their Euros title from 2024. It has been quite the tournament from an opening draw to Cape Verde to making France and Argentina look like average teams and lifting the World Cup.
Paredes and Molina involved in angry scenes after full-time
Leandro Parades was sent off after the game after starting a brawl with some of Spain’s players
There were unsavoury scenes at full-time as Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina looked to strike out at the celebrating Spain players after Argentina’s defeat.
Molina threw out an elbow and caught Rodri, while Paredes appeared to kick Eric Garcia to the floor and pushed him back with a strong hand around his neck when the Spaniard got back to his feet to confront him.
A Spain substitute was then held back by another Argentina player before Paredes came in, ripped his bib and swung for him twice, catching him in the face.
Paredes, who came on at half-time, was booked within minutes of coming on and escaped a number of other yellow card offenses. He was eventually sent off in the aftermath of the post-match hostilities.
The key moments from New York New Jersey…
Spain’s Ferran Torres celebrates scoring their winner (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
5: SHOT! Lamine Yamal has the first shot on target.
39: SHOT! Oyarzabal strikes – but it goes straight at Emi Martinez.
77: CHANCE! Pedro and Pau Cubarsi draw saves from the Argentina goalkeeper as Spain keep pushing for a goal.
90+3: RED CARD! Fernandez sent off for second yellow card after reckless challenge on Cubarsi.
90+9: SAVE! Lamine Yamal forces a great save from Emi Martinez after a whipped effort.
96: NO GOAL! Williams has the ball in the net, but it is ruled out as Merino inadvertently catches Otamendi on the foot in the build-up.
106: GOAL! Torres fires home from Williams’ cushioned effort.
114: OFFSIDE! Torres has the ball in the net again, but he is flagged offside.
120+2: OVER! Simeone has the chance to equalise, but sends an effort over the face of goal as Spain win the World Cup.
Spain’s Nico Williams reacts after seeing his strike on goal ruled out by VAR
Analysis: Spain worthy World Cup winners
Sky Sports’ Adam Bate: “Spain began this World Cup with a goalless draw against Cape Verde but they end it as worthy winners. They beat the favourites in the semi-final and the reigning champions tonight.
“One goal conceded in eight games, never behind in the tournament, they played all the football here. Passed Argentina off the park. The European champions are World Cup winners too. Thoroughly deserved.”
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Ferran Torres scores a crucial goal in added time for Spain to make it 1-0 in the World Cup final game against Argentina.
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville speaking on ITV: “Spain are not the best individual players, what they are is the best team, the best collective. And also the best system of play.
“I spent a very short time in Spain and what I found was that they were a different technical and tactical level to Premier League teams, their understanding of the game.
“That comes out most in international football when you are playing every four days in 35-degree heat. Technically and tactically, they are outstanding.”
Spain’s Rodri poses with the award for the tournament’s best player (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon poses with the Golden Glove award (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Torres: Destiny was written for us to win
Spain forward Ferran Torres to FIFA: “I think in the end the goal came from 47 million people (approximately the population of Spain), not just those of us that are here.
“Today destiny was written, it was made for us to win. We’re far from our people today, but we tried to be as close as possible to them.
Ferran Torres celebrates his goal in extra time to win the World Cup for Spain
“Finals are hard. When you have [Lionel] Messi on the opposing team, you do get worried, but we always backed ourselves and tried to show our football and I think we managed to do it once again.
“[It was] a huge relief [to score]. I’ve been criticised throughout the whole tournament but, as I said before, destiny was written.
“Thanks to God, he always gives me the strength to continue and in the end he grants things to those that most deserve them.”
Merino: We knew we were a better footballing side than Argentina
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Spanish fans go wild as they claim their second World Cup trophy over Argentina.
Spain’s Mikel Merino speaking to ITV: “Unbelievable. It’s the perfect moment for us.
“We are such a golden generation with these young players that give everything they have for this country, for these fans. Luckily, we got the trophy today.
“It was a game about concentration. We knew we were a better team in terms of football.
“The pitch was dry, it was a difficult game because they are a very, very competitive side and they know how to make the game difficult for you. I think the team was outstanding today and we deserve it.
“When you are facing a low block and you have a team that is defending in your own box, you have to attack the box with bodies on the line and then control the transitions.
“We have very good players that can cross the ball, big threats in the box and the old-school way of scoring goals and we did it.”
Analysis: Messi conspicuous by his absence
Argentina’s Lionel Messi missed out on winning his first World Cup Golden Boot
Sky Sports’ Charlotte Marsh: “The World Cup game perhaps epitomises the importance of Messi to Argentina in his anonymity.
“They have relied on the 39-year-old time and again in this tournament, and much like a few of his contemporaries, he did go missing in one of the biggest moments.
“However, that wasn’t entirely his fault. Argentina had 34.9 per cent possession and were not able to work anything for their star man to use.
“In the final five minutes, Messi had a few glimpses but this time, he and Argentina ran out of time, with no shots registered on target.
“But by his absence and his team unable to provide for him, it shows even more just how much they rely on him for their goals.”
