Ferran Torres slammed in an extra-time winner, Rodri lifted the trophy high in New Jersey, and Spain conquered the world again — this time with a 1-0 victory over defending champions Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final.
The substitute struck in the 106th minute at MetLife Stadium, breaking the deadlock after a contest that swung on discipline and endurance. Argentina had been reduced to ten men when Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card late in normal time, and they could not muster a single shot on target across the entire match.
“Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win their second World Cup, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner.”
Spain, by contrast, controlled the game from start to finish. They had 65% possession, an expected goals tally of 1.94, and 20 shots — 11 on target. Goalkeeper Unai Simon kept his seventh clean sheet in eight matches, winning the Golden Glove after conceding just one goal in the entire tournament — the fewest ever by a World Cup-winning side.
“There is no doubt that the right team won,” former England captain Alan Shearer said on BBC One. “From start to finish, Spain controlled possession. They were the ones looking to play football, create chances and get in behind. This is a result for football because of the way that they have played. Spain deserve it.”
Captain Rodri, who dictated the tempo from midfield across all eight matches, was awarded the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. Nineteen-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi took the Young Player award after helping Spain record the fewest goals conceded by a champion in World Cup history. Cubarsi completed 121 passes in the final — one of two Spaniards to surpass 100, alongside Rodri’s 101.
The victory extends Spain’s unbeaten run to 38 matches, the longest by any European team. They are now world, Olympic and European champions — not to mention women’s world champions too. Spain stumbled out of the gates with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, mirroring their 2010 campaign when they lost their opener before winning the title.
For many of this squad, it may only be the beginning. Cubarsi, 19, and his Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal, who at 19 years and six days became the third-youngest player to appear in a World Cup final, have their best years ahead. France captain Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals — the first player to win back-to-back World Cup top-scorer awards.
Spain’s second World Cup win was eerily similar to their first in South Africa 16 years ago: a tight final, extra time, a single goal, and a celebration that felt like a victory for football itself.