Spain defeat Argentina to win 2026 World Cup final

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the 2026 men's World Cup final, securing their second title in the tournament's history. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute, and Rodri lifted the trophy in New Jersey. The victory was widely seen as a triumph for attractive football, with Spain dominating possession and creating numerous chances.

Dominant performance

Spain controlled the match from start to finish, recording 65% possession, an expected goals tally of 1.94, and 20 shots on goal, 11 of which were on target. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made 11 saves, the most by any goalkeeper on record in a World Cup final. At the other end, Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon kept his seventh clean sheet in eight matches, earning the Golden Glove award. Spain conceded just one goal throughout the entire tournament, the fewest by any winning team.

Former England captain Alan Shearer commented on BBC One: "There is no doubt that the right team won. 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."

Historic achievements

Spain's victory adds to their recent dominance: they are now world, Olympic, and European champions, and the women's team also holds the World Cup. The men's team is unbeaten in their past 38 matches in all competitions, the longest run by any European team in history. They stumbled out of the gates with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, meaning that on both occasions Spain have won the World Cup they failed to win their opener (after a 1-0 loss to Switzerland in 2010).

In the final, two Spain players completed over 100 passes: Rodri with 101 and Pau Cubarsi with 121. Only three players on record have achieved this in a World Cup final. Cubarsi, aged 19, was named young player of the tournament. Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal, also 19, became the third-youngest player to appear in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1958 and Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982, and the third-youngest winner.

Argentina's struggles

Argentina, often cast as villains by opposing fans, focused on disrupting Spain's rhythm in the first half. Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernandez were prominent in this role, and four Argentina players received yellow cards. However, unlike England in the semi-final, Spain did not wilt in the second half. Argentina became the first team in World Cup history not to have a shot in 90 minutes of a final; their first attempt came from Lionel Messi in the 117th minute. The defending champions lost their crown, and post-match scenes led many to feel they had lost their dignity as well.