Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19.
Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match in the 106th minute, early in the second half of extra time. The substitute struck from close range to settle a final that had stayed goalless through 90 minutes and into the additional period.
The result gives Spain their second World Cup, 16 years after their first in 2010.
Spain controlled the match for long stretches and created the better chances. Argentina struggled to string passes together and failed to register a shot on target for much of the game. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez kept his side in the final with a string of saves, and was taken off at one point with an injury before returning.
Argentina were reduced to 10 men late on, and the numerical disadvantage told when Torres found space to score in extra time.
The defeat ends Argentina's hope of back-to-back titles after their win in 2022. No country has won consecutive World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
For Lionel Messi, it was a quiet final in what he has said will be his last World Cup. He will be 39 later this year and 43 by the time the 2030 tournament comes around.
Spain went through the whole tournament unbeaten. They opened with a goalless draw against Cape Verde, then beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 and Uruguay 1-0 to top their group. In the knockout rounds they beat Austria 3-0, Portugal 1-0, Belgium 2-1, and France 2-0 before overcoming Argentina in the final.
Torres became the second substitute to score a winning goal in a World Cup final.
