2026 World Cup Final: Spain beat Argentina to earn second world title

In a historic day under the sun at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, Spain have been crowned world champions for a second time after Ferran Torres' extra-time winner secured a deserved 1-0 victory over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final.

After an even and cagey opening 45 minutes on Sunday, disrupted by repeated fouling and punctuated by rare chances for Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal, the first-ever World Cup final half-time show featured performances from Shakira, Madonna, Justin Bieber and BTS before Luis de la Fuente's side took complete control after the restart.

They repeatedly threatened to break the deadlock, only to be frustrated by a combination of narrow officiating decisions and an excellent goalkeeping display by Emiliano Martínez, who finished the game having made 11 saves.

The Aston Villa stopper was kept especially busy after Argentina were reduced to ten men in the third minute of added time at the end of normal time when Enzo Fernández was shown a second yellow card for a forceful tackle on Pau Cubarsí, leaving the reigning champions to play the entirety of extra time a man down.

The first major breakthrough appeared to arrive in the sixth minute of extra time when substitute Nico Williams found the net, sparking wild celebrations among the Spain supporters. However, a VAR review somewhat harshly ruled the goal out after fellow substitute Mikel Merino was adjudged to have committed a foul on Nicolás Otamendi in the build-up.

Spain continued to dominate possession and territory, and Merino then came agonisingly close in the 104th minute, directing a close-range header narrowly past the post.

Two minutes later, Spain finally found the decisive breakthrough. Lamine Yamal delivered an inviting cross from the right towards the back post, where Williams nodded the ball back across goal. Torres arrived perfectly to smash an unstoppable finish high into the roof of the net to put Spain ahead.

Torres thought he had wrapped up victory in the 114th minute when he finished clinically, having been sent through on goal to make it 2-0, but his celebrations were cut short after VAR ruled the goal out for a marginal offside.

Argentina barely threatened throughout the contest, with captain Lionel Messi only starting to pull the strings once his side had gone behind.

In fact, Argentina failed to register a shot until deep into extra time. Their only real opportunity fell to Giuliano Simeone, but he blazed over the crossbar as Spain saw out the closing stages.

Rodri was handed the World Cup trophy by FIFA president Gianni Infantino alongside US President Donald Trump during the presentation ceremony. The Spain captain also collected the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player after another series of commanding performances in midfield led his country to its second World Cup crown, 16 years after their maiden triumph in South Africa in 2010.

It also made Spain the first European nation since Italy in 1938 to defeat the reigning champions in a World Cup final, capping a tournament in which they consistently established themselves as the competition's outstanding side.