Spain is the 2026 FIFA World Cup champion. Substitute Ferran Torres scored a 106th-minute winner to defeat 10-man Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, capping a dominant, undefeated tournament run and denying Lionel Messi a shot at back-to-back titles in what may have been his final World Cup appearance.
How the Final Unfolded
Spain controlled possession for virtually the entire match, and its defense delivered a suffocating performance — Argentina failed to register a single shot on target across the full 120 minutes, and didn't manage a shot attempt of any kind until the second half of extra time. Argentina's best chance of the match came in just the fifth minute, when Julián Álvarez set up Messi with a clear look at goal, but Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón beat him to the ball. From there, Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez became the story of the match, finishing with 11 saves — the most ever recorded in a men's World Cup final — as he repeatedly denied a relentless string of Spanish attempts.
The Turning Point
The match shifted decisively in stoppage time at the end of regulation, when Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off with a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Spain's young star Pau Cubarsí, leaving Argentina to play the remainder of the game with 10 men. Spain continued pressing throughout extra time — Ferran Torres, who had just been substituted on, headed a great chance off a Lamine Yamal cross in the 66th minute that Martínez somehow saved — before finally breaking through 39 seconds into the second period of extra time. Torres thumped in an 8-yard shot to give Spain the lead, sealing what became a 1-0 victory off Spain's 20th shot of the match.
A Statement Defensive Tournament
Spain's title run was defined as much by its defense as its attack. The team conceded just one goal across the entire tournament and completed the World Cup unbeaten — extending an extraordinary 38-match unbeaten streak that also includes their 2024 European Championship title. Advanced statistics underscored just how one-sided the final was: Argentina generated only 0.20 expected goals from its minimal chances created, while Spain generated 1.94.
A Bittersweet Ending for Messi and Argentina
For Argentina, the loss ends a bid to become the first team ever to win four consecutive major tournaments, following Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024 that sandwiched their 2022 World Cup triumph. Lionel Messi, playing in what's widely expected to be his final World Cup, touched the ball just 54 times in a match that stretched to three hours including a lengthy halftime show. Messi's international career now appears likely to end without a second consecutive World Cup title, closing out one of the most storied careers in the sport's history on a difficult note.
A Second Title, 16 Years in the Making
The win marks Spain's second-ever World Cup championship, following their first title in 2010 — a triumph that, fittingly, also came via a goal in the second half of extra time following a scoreless 90 minutes. Rodri, Spain's midfield anchor, lifted the trophy after the match and went on to win the tournament's Golden Ball as its outstanding player, while France's Kylian Mbappé claimed the Golden Boot as top scorer, edging out Messi.
A Historic Tournament for North America
Sunday's final closed out the first men's World Cup hosted in North America in more than three decades, held in the United States alongside co-hosts Canada and Mexico. The championship match featured a star-studded halftime show, including performances from Shakira, Burna Boy, Coldplay's Chris Martin, BTS, and Justin Bieber, along with a cameo from "Ted Lasso" stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in character.
What's Next
With Spain's second World Cup title now secured atop their recent European Championship win, the Spanish national team enters a new era as the sport's dominant undefeated force. For Argentina and Messi, Sunday's defeat closes an extraordinary run of major tournament success and leaves open the question of how Messi's Argentina legacy will ultimately be remembered following this near-miss at back-to-back World Cup glory.