Spain 2026 World Cup | SOJWORLDnews

Spain claimed its second World Cup title on Sunday, defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time at New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the winning goal 39 seconds into the second period of extra time, ending a tense, low-scoring final that Spain dominated from the opening whistle.

Spain controlled possession for most of the match but could not beat Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who produced 11 saves, the most ever recorded in a men’s World Cup final. Argentina managed just two shots the entire game and did not register a single shot on target until stoppage time in normal play.

The match turned late in second-half stoppage time, when referees sent off Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for a second yellow card after he fouled young Spanish defender Pau Cubarsi. Argentina played the remainder of the game and all of extra time a man down. Spain nearly broke through moments later when Nico Williams found the net, but officials disallowed the goal for a foul in the build-up.

Spain finally converted early in extra time. Williams headed a cross into the box, and Torres knocked the loose ball past Martinez for the only goal of the match. The victory capped an unbeaten tournament for Spain, which finished with 1.94 expected goals from 20 shots against Argentina’s 0.2 expected goals from two attempts.

Coach Luis de la Fuente led Spain to the title just two years after guiding the team to the 2024 European Championship. Ahead of the final, he had repeatedly praised his squad’s mentality. “These players show commitment, solidarity and talent,” he told reporters after Spain’s semifinal win over France. He also credited the team’s supporters throughout the tournament, saying, “It is an honour to feel like you are bringing together a whole country.”

The win completed a 38-match unbeaten streak for Spain, a run that began before their Euro 2024 triumph and stretched through the entire World Cup. De la Fuente had voiced confidence in his squad’s identity all summer. “We started almost four years ago with an idea and we’ve been faithful to that idea and it’s brought us here,” he said after the semifinal victory.

For Argentina, the loss ended Lionel Messi’s bid for a second World Cup title and likely marked his final World Cup appearance. Messi, 39, finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists, placing second in the race for the Golden Boot behind France’s Kylian Mbappe. He created little against a Spanish defense that limited Argentina to almost no meaningful chances all night.

Spain becomes just the fifth nation to win multiple World Cups since 2000 and adds the trophy to a European Championship title won in 2024, cementing the current squad’s status among the sport’s most dominant generations. The team’s core, including teenager Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Rodri, now holds both the continental and world titles simultaneously.

FIFA staged an elaborate halftime show featuring Shakira, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, BTS, Justin Bieber and Burna Boy, closing out North America’s first World Cup as host in more than three decades. The tournament, spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada, drew record crowds throughout the summer.

Spain’s championship run began with a draw against tournament debutants Cape Verde in the group stage, a result that looked shaky at the time but gave way to a string of dominant performances. The team now turns its attention to celebrations at home, where fans have already begun preparing for the squad’s return.