NEW YORK: Ferran Torres scored deep into extra time as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 to win FIFA World Cup 2026 at the New Jersey Stadium on Monday.
This marked the Spain’s second FIFA World Cup title, following their triumph in 2010. Meanwhile, Argentina failed to become the first team since 1962 to retain the title.
The European champions tarted the game in dominant fashion, creating multiple chances inside first 10 minutes. Lamine Yamal saw much of the ball down the right flank but was unable to direct any of his effort on target.
The cagey show in the first-half was evident when Alexis Mac Allister went flying in with a studs-up challenge that struck Dani Olmo’s ankle. Howver,Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic only awarded a foul.
Lionel Scaloni men kept testing the referee patience with multiple challenges with Nicolas Tagliafico lucky to be cautioned after raking Lamine Yamal’s calf in a clumsy challenge.
Perhaps, the first big blow for La Albiceleste came in the 44th minute when Lisandro Martínez was subsituted due to injury with Nicolás Otamendi replacing him.
Both sides went goalless at the end of a cagey first-half with Argentina having only one real chance. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon rushed off his line to clear Julián Alvarez’s through ball for Lionel Messi, but the ball fell back to Alvarez, whose poor first touch wasted the opportunity.
Apart from that, Spain dominated possession throughout the opening 45 minutes.
After the break, Scaloni made changes to revamp his midfield and introduced Landro Parades as a left winger in place of Nico Gonzalez. The idea was to bring Argentina players close to their opponents before Parades was booked for barging on Rodri.
On the other hand, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente sent on Pedri and Ferran Torres for Fabian Ruiz and Oyarzabal and the chances continued with Argentina in full siege mode.
The only silver lining for Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final was goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who stood like a wall in front of rampant Spain attack.
The depleted Argentina attack woes compounded when Enzo Fernandez was booked for dissent in the 82nd minute, leaving his side down to 10 men heading into extra-time.
The Spanish dominance continued in extra-time, with Williams almost opening the scoring with a glancing header that Martinez got down well to save one-handed.
Moments later it looked as if Spain had made the breakthrough when Williams slid a low finish into the net but referee Vincic blew for a marginal foul on Nicolas Otamendi.
The final moment came with Torres’s winner on 106 minutes, who collected subsitute Nico Williams’ header to send it past Martinez from close range to win the FIFA World Cup final.
With Lionel Messi failing to add to his tally of eight, France Kylian won the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot. Meanwhile, Spain Unai Simon was as the best goal keeper of the tournament.
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