Spain returned to the top of international soccer on Sunday, July 19, defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. Ferran Torres delivered the championship-winning goal in the 106th minute at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Barcelona forward entered as a substitute before finishing the decisive sequence that secured Spain’s second men’s World Cup title.
Argentina spent most of the match defending, disrupting Spain’s possession and leaning heavily on goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. The defending champions held out through regulation but entered extra time with 10 players after Enzo Fernández received a second yellow card. Spain eventually converted its control into the goal that ended Argentina’s reign and completed one of the strongest international runs in modern soccer.
2026 FIFA World Cup Final Match Information
Final score: Spain 1, Argentina 0 after extra time
Date: Sunday, July 19, 2026
Stadium: New York New Jersey Stadium
Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
Attendance: More than 80,000
Goal: Ferran Torres, Spain, 106th minute
Red cards: Enzo Fernández, Argentina; Leandro Paredes, Argentina, after the final whistle
Spain Controls the Match From the Opening Whistle
Spain entered the final after defeating France 2-0 in the semifinals and immediately established control against Argentina. Luis de la Fuente’s team moved the ball patiently, pressed aggressively after losing possession and kept Argentina pinned inside its own half for long stretches.
The possession advantage did not immediately produce goals. Argentina crowded the central areas, committed tactical fouls and forced Spain to move the ball around the outside. Lamine Yamal and Spain’s other attacking players struggled to create clean shooting opportunities against an organized defensive block.
Argentina’s approach was even more conservative than expected. Lionel Scaloni’s team did not record a shot during the first 90 minutes, becoming the first team in World Cup Final history to finish regulation without an attempt. Lionel Messi was isolated from the game, and Argentina rarely committed enough players forward to create a meaningful counterattack.
Spain finished with 20 total shots, including 12 on target, while Argentina recorded only two attempts during the entire match. Spain also controlled approximately 65 percent of possession and completed nearly twice as many passes. The statistical gap reflected a final that Spain commanded without being able to finish during regulation. Reuters reported that Spain outshot Argentina 20-2.
Emiliano Martínez Keeps Argentina Alive
Argentina remained level because Emiliano Martínez produced another massive World Cup performance. The veteran goalkeeper repeatedly denied Spain and made 10 saves during regulation before adding another in extra time.
Martínez handled shots through traffic, closed down angles and prevented several dangerous chances from becoming the opening goal. Spain frequently reached the edge of Argentina’s penalty area but lacked a traditional striker capable of finishing its cutbacks and crosses.
The goalkeeper’s performance gave Argentina a chance to force penalties despite its inability to generate offense. It also created growing frustration for Spain, which continued accumulating possession and shots without finding a breakthrough.
The match changed near the end of regulation when Enzo Fernández received his second yellow card for a foul on Pau Cubarsí. Fernández’s dismissal reduced Argentina to 10 players just before extra time and made its defensive assignment even more difficult.
Ferran Torres Scores the World Cup-Winning Goal
De la Fuente’s substitutions eventually decided the championship. Ferran Torres and Nico Williams brought fresh speed and directness to a Spanish attack that had become predictable during the first 90 minutes.
The breakthrough arrived in the 106th minute. Pedro Porro delivered a cross toward the back post, where Williams fought to keep the ball alive. The loose ball dropped into the path of Torres, who fired past Martínez to give Spain the 1-0 lead.
It was Spain’s 20th attempt of the match and the first one Martínez could not stop. Torres celebrated in front of the Spanish supporters as his teammates rushed toward him, knowing the World Cup trophy was suddenly within reach.
Argentina finally pushed forward after falling behind. Messi attempted his team’s first shot in the 115th minute, but his effort struck Mikel Merino. Argentina never placed a shot on target and could not create the late equalizer required to extend the final.
Messi’s Likely World Cup Farewell Ends in Defeat
The final may have marked the end of Lionel Messi’s World Cup career. The Argentine captain became only the second player after Brazil’s Cafu to appear in three men’s World Cup Finals, but Spain prevented him from influencing the match.
Messi struggled to find the space he needed between Spain’s midfield and defensive lines. Argentina’s reluctance to attack also left him without consistent support or runners around him. He frequently received the ball far from goal and faced multiple Spanish defenders whenever he attempted to advance.
The 39-year-old appeared emotional while receiving his runners-up medal after the match. Scaloni praised Messi afterward and called him the greatest player in soccer history. Argentina’s loss does not diminish Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph, but it prevented him from closing his international career with consecutive championships.
Tempers Flare After the Final Whistle
The tension that defined the match carried over after the final whistle. Players from both teams became involved in a confrontation after Leandro Paredes pushed Gavi and Eric García. Paredes was shown a red card during the incident.
Argentina’s frustration was visible throughout the trophy ceremony. Spain captain Rodri lifted the World Cup after also receiving the tournament’s Golden Ball award. Messi collected his runners-up medal as Argentina surrendered the trophy it had won four years earlier in Qatar.
Kylian Mbappé finished the competition as the Golden Boot winner with 10 goals. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón received the Golden Glove after recording seven clean sheets during the tournament.
Spain Completes a Historic Championship Run
The victory gave Spain its second men’s World Cup championship and its first since 2010. It also added the World Cup to the European Championship Spain won in 2024.
Spain has now captured both trophies during the same competitive cycle for the second time. Its previous generation won Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 during one of soccer’s greatest international runs.
De la Fuente became the oldest coach to win the men’s World Cup at 65. Spain also extended its unbeaten streak to 38 matches across all competitions, a record for a national team from Europe or South America.
The championship reflects Spain’s development of a new generation built around players such as Yamal, Williams, Cubarsí, Pedri, Gavi and Rodri. Spain did not produce its most exciting performance in the final, but it remained patient, controlled the match and found the goal it deserved.
World Cup Final Betting Info
Spain rewarded moneyline bettors who backed La Roja to win the match, though markets grading only regulation finished as a draw. The match also stayed comfortably under the standard 2.5-goal total.
Both Teams to Score bettors lost, while Argentina finished without a shot on target. Bettors who played Spain to lift the trophy or win after extra time received the strongest result. Torres also delivered a major payout for anyone who selected him as an anytime or first goalscorer despite beginning the game on the bench.
Spain’s dominance reinforced the value of possession, shot and team total markets when one side controls the game but faces a defensive opponent. Argentina’s approach kept the score low, yet the red card dramatically increased Spain’s chances of scoring during extra time.
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