- After Extra Time
- 111'A. Mac Allister
- Ferran Torres106'
- Extra Time — First Half
- 102'M. Senesi on for J. Alvarez
- Eric García on for Aymeric Laporte99'
- Martín Zubimendi on for Rodri99'
- Full Time
- 90 + 3'E. Fernández
- 90 + 2'C. Romero
- 82'E. Fernández
- Mikel Merino on for Dani Olmo75'
- Nico Williams on for Álex Baena75'
- 70'G. Simeone on for R. De Paul
- 70'F. Medina on for C. Romero
- Pedri on for Fabián Ruiz62'
- Ferran Torres on for Mikel Oyarzabal62'
- 58'N. Molina on for G. Montiel
- 52'L. Paredes
- 46'L. Paredes on for N. González
- Half Time
- 44'N. Otamendi on for Lisandro Martínez
- 41'Lisandro Martínez
- Kick Off
-
1
Ferran Torres1
- 1Lamine Yamal4
- 2Ferran Torres3
- 3Nico Williams3
- 1Lamine Yamal3
- 2Rodri3
- 3
Nicolás Tagliafico2
- 1Nico Williams1
- 1Pedri4
- 2Nico Williams2
- 3Rodri2
- 1Pau Cubarsí121
- 2Rodri101
- 3Pedro Porro90
- 1Lamine Yamal5
- 2Dani Olmo3
- 3Lionel Messi3
- 1Nicolás Tagliafico3
- 2Gonzalo Montiel2
- 3Enzo Fernández2
Spain are world champions after Ferran Torres’ extra-time winner beat 10-man Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup 2026 final at MetLife Stadium.
The final swung on two moments: Enzo Fernandez’s red card at the end of normal time, and Torres’ 106th-minute finish.
Spain dominated the opening 90 minutes but found Emiliano Martinez unbeatable. The Argentina goalkeeper made 11 saves in total, a record for a World Cup final. At the other end, Argentina became the first finalist in World Cup history to fail to register a shot in the opening 90 minutes.
The holders’ night then unravelled in injury time. Fernandez, booked in the 82nd minute, caught Pau Cubarsi with a late lunge. The second yellow card followed, and Argentina faced 30 minutes of extra time with 10 men.
Luis de la Fuente turned to his bench, and his substitutes settled the final. A lofted pass released Nico Williams in the box in the 106th minute. The winger cut the ball back for fellow substitute Torres, who drilled his finish past Martinez.
Only then did Argentina stir. Giuliano Simeone volleyed over from a Lionel Messi corner, before Mikel Merino produced a vital block to deny Messi himself in the 115th minute. Those were the only two shots Lionel Scaloni’s side mustered across 120 minutes, neither of them on target, worth just 0.37 Expected Goals (xG).
Spain’s dominance was total. They finished with 20 shots, 12 on target, 2.12 xG and 65.1% of the ball. Their reward is a second World Cup, and a first since 2010, to sit alongside their Euro 2024 crown. They end the tournament unbeaten in seven matches, having conceded just once.
For Messi, 39, there was no fairytale repeat of Qatar. Starved of service for 90 minutes, his late flurry came too late to drag Argentina to back-to-back titles.
Instead, the night belonged to Spain’s new generation, and to Torres, the substitute who made history in New Jersey.
World Cup Final highlights
Read more:
