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Spain 1-0 Argentina (AET) | World Cup Final | July 19, 2026 | MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey Stadium), East Rutherford, New Jersey
Spain are the 2026 FIFA World Cup champions. They defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, winning their second World Cup title and completing one of the most dominant tournament performances in football history. A Ferran Torres goal in the 106th minute, set up by a brilliant Nico Williams run, was the only goal of a final that Spain dominated from first whistle to last.
Context: Two Giants, One Final Stage
Spain came into the final on the back of an extraordinary run. They were unbeaten in 35 consecutive matches and had not lost a competitive game since March 2024 under coach Luis de la Fuente. They had conceded just one goal in their previous six World Cup matches. Argentina, meanwhile, arrived as the defending champions, attempting to become the first team in history to win four consecutive major tournaments after Copa América victories in 2021 and 2024 sandwiched around the 2022 World Cup title. And Lionel Messi was chasing what looked like his final major tournament appearance with one more piece of history to add.
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First Half: Spain Suffocate Argentina
Spain took complete control from the first whistle. Their passing was relentless, their pressing was suffocating, and Argentina struggled to breathe from the very first moments. By halftime, Argentina had not registered a single shot on target and had spent the entire 45 minutes chasing the ball.
Spain completed nearly 600 passes by the end of normal time while Argentina stayed below 300, with just two total touches inside Spain’s 18-yard box across 90 minutes. Argentina are the first team in history to fail to register a single shot in 90 minutes of a FIFA World Cup final. Blanks. The stat alone told the story of how complete Spain’s control was throughout the contest.
Spain created chances but met an inspired Emiliano Martinez in the Argentine goal. The goalkeeper put up one of the great individual performances in World Cup Final history, making saves from Oyarzabal, Yamal, and Baena throughout the first half. Despite all of Spain’s dominance, the score remained 0-0 at halftime.
A Disallowed Goal Adds to the Drama
Spain thought they had broken the deadlock when Nico Williams fired into the net, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on Otamendi by Mikel Merino in the build-up. The decision was a cruel blow for Spain, who had clearly been the better side. However, they refused to let the moment derail them. They continued pressing, continued creating, and continued building toward the breakthrough.
Enzo Fernandez Sees Red: The Turning Point
The match’s pivotal moment arrived late in normal time. Enzo Fernandez, who had been booked earlier in the game, received a second yellow card for a foul in stoppage time at the end of the second half. The Argentine midfielder was dismissed, leaving Argentina to face extra time with only ten men.
From that point, Spain looked like the only side capable of winning the game. Argentina’s already minimal threat evaporated entirely. Messi tried to manufacture moments through sheer force of will, but Spain’s backline held firm and denied him any clear opening.
GOAL 1 — Ferran Torres, 106′: Spain Break Through in Extra Time
Within 39 seconds of the restart in the second half of extra time, Nico Williams picked up the ball on the left flank and drove forward before finding Ferran Torres in the center of the box. Torres thumped an eight-yard shot into the roof of the net and finally shattered Argentina’s spirit.
Torres had come on as a substitute earlier in the second half, replacing Mikel Oyarzabal in the 62nd minute. His goal was his second of the 2026 World Cup. Lamine Yamal beat two defenders and saved the ball from crossing the end line before crossing to Torres, making it one of the finest goals of the entire tournament.
The Spain end of MetLife Stadium erupted. It was the moment the entire game had been building toward.
Martinez Denies Spain a Second Goal
Even with Argentina down to ten men and a goal behind, Emiliano Martinez continued his extraordinary performance. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez put forth a miraculous effort, recording a men’s FIFA World Cup Final record of 10 saves on the night. He denied Spain on multiple occasions in the closing stages of extra time, preventing what could easily have been a more emphatic scoreline.
Despite his efforts, Argentina could find no way back. Messi, pushing forward and trying to create a final miracle, saw his efforts come to nothing against a Spain defensive unit that kept yet another clean sheet. It was Spain’s seventh clean sheet of the tournament, a remarkable record of defensive solidity.
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Full Time: Spain Win the World Cup
The final whistle confirmed Spain as the 2026 FIFA World Cup champions. It was not to be for Messi, who looks to have played in his final match at the World Cup, but even he will concede Spain were worthy winners. They finished with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.94 from their 20 shots, compared to Argentina’s tally of just 0.2 from their two attempts.
Ugly scenes arrived at the final whistle as Argentina players lashed out at Spanish players celebrating on the pitch. The contrast between the two sets of players in those final moments could not have been more stark.
The Records Spain Broke
Spain’s victory confirmed an extraordinary legacy for this generation of Spanish footballers. Spain became only the third reigning European champion to win the World Cup, joining 1974 West Germany and 2010 Spain. It is the second World Cup title in their history, following their 2010 triumph in South Africa, which they also won 1-0 in extra time against the Netherlands.
Luis de la Fuente finished the tournament with a record of 14 wins and one draw in all competitive matches as Spain’s manager. He also became the oldest manager to win the World Cup. Spain allowed just one goal across their entire seven-match tournament campaign.
Individual Awards
The best individual award winner was Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simon, whose clean sheet record across the tournament was extraordinary. Lamine Yamal was widely expected to win the Golden Ball before the tournament, but Pau Cubarsi was excellent as the anchor of Spain’s backline and started every game of the World Cup, cementing a case for the award with his performance throughout.
Yamal himself delivered a performance in the final that encapsulated his entire tournament, combining youth, fearlessness, and technical brilliance. At just 18 years old, he played a central role in leading Spain to World Cup glory.
The End of an Era for Messi
For Lionel Messi, this was almost certainly his final appearance at a FIFA World Cup. He ends his tournament with nine goals, making him the all-time leading scorer in men’s World Cup history. Despite the defeat, his contribution to the history of football remains unmatched. Argentina entered the 2026 World Cup trying to be the first team to win four straight major tournaments. They came within one extraordinary goal in extra time of achieving that feat.
The story of football, though, belongs now to Spain, their players, and a coach who has yet to taste defeat in competitive football since taking charge.
