Spain are World Cup champions for the second time after Ferran Torres struck early in the second period of extra time to secure a 1-0 victory over 10-man Argentina in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, denying Lionel Messi’s side a shot at consecutive titles.
The match remained goalless through 90 tense minutes. Spain dominated possession and territory but struggled to turn control into clear chances. Argentina offered almost nothing going forward in the first half, failing to register a shot or even a corner before the break. Spain’s best opportunities came through Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo, both denied by Emiliano Martínez, who kept Argentina in the game with a string of routine and alert saves.
The pattern continued after the restart. Spain probed patiently while Argentina sat deep and looked to disrupt the rhythm. Luis de la Fuente made a flurry of attacking changes, bringing on Pedri, Torres, Mikel Merino and Nico Williams. Argentina’s changes were largely forced, including the early withdrawal of Lisandro Martínez before halftime through injury.
The turning point came late in normal time when Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsí. Reduced to 10 men, Argentina were forced to play the final minutes of regulation and all of extra time a player short. Despite the disadvantage, they held firm to force extra time at 0-0.
Spain continued to press in the additional 30 minutes, peppering Martínez’s goal. The breakthrough finally arrived two minutes into the second period of extra time when Torres finished to give Spain the lead they had long threatened. Down to 10 men and with options exhausted, Argentina could not respond. A late substitution left Messi, 39, isolated as their only recognised forward for the remainder.
The victory gives Spain their second World Cup crown, 16 years after their maiden triumph in 2010. It also ended Argentina’s bid to become only the third nation, after Italy in the late 1930s and Brazil in the early 1960s, to win successive World Cups. For La Roja, the win capped a near-flawless tournament in which they did not concede more than once in any match.
The final likely marked Messi’s last World Cup appearance at international level. For Spain, the result confirmed the emergence of Yamal, still only 19, as one of the defining players of the new global game. Attention now turns to Spain’s Nations League campaign, while Argentina must regroup without their talisman for the next cycle.
