Spain defeat Argentina to win 2026 FIFA World Cup

Spain are world champions once again after Ferran Torres' dramatic extra-time winner secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over defending champions Argentina in a gripping FIFA World Cup final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

The Barcelona forward struck in the 106th minute, finally breaking Argentina's stubborn resistance after Spain had dominated proceedings for virtually the entire contest. It was a deserved reward for Luis de la Fuente's side, who controlled possession, created the better chances and prevented Lionel Messi's team from registering a single shot on target over 120 minutes.

In what was almost certainly Messi's final World Cup appearance, the 39-year-old was unable to inspire Argentina to another memorable triumph. Instead, Spain's youthful, energetic side dictated the pace from the opening whistle, with Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal constantly asking questions of the Argentine defence.

The holders resorted to a physical approach as frustration grew. Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolás Tagliafico and Lisandro Martínez were all involved in heavy challenges, while Enzo Fernández's evening ended in dismissal after a reckless tackle on Pau Cubarsí deep into extra time.

Despite Spain's dominance, Emiliano Martínez kept Argentina alive with a string of outstanding saves. The Aston Villa goalkeeper denied Ferran Torres with a brilliant stop from a header, reacted well to efforts from Pedri and Cubarsí, and later produced another superb save to keep out Nico Williams' glancing header.

Williams thought he had given Spain the lead early in extra time when he slid the ball into the net, only for referee Slavko Vinčić to rule out the effort for a marginal foul on Nicolás Otamendi. However, Spain refused to let the setback derail their momentum.

Their breakthrough finally arrived four minutes later. Pedro Porro delivered a teasing cross to the far post where Williams rose highest to nod the ball back across goal. Torres reacted quickest, smashing an unstoppable finish past Martínez to send the Spanish supporters into celebration and hand La Roja a famous victory.

Argentina threw everything forward in the closing stages, but Spain's disciplined defence stood firm to preserve the narrow advantage and seal a second World Cup title, adding to their historic triumph in South Africa in 2010.

The victory capped a remarkable tournament for Spain, whose blend of youthful brilliance and tactical discipline saw them emerge as the standout team of the competition.

With the World Cup now secured, attention will quickly turn to the UEFA European Championship, where La Roja will be aiming to continue their dominance and add another major trophy to their growing collection.

Having conquered the world once again, Spain will now look to become champions of Europe and take another step towards establishing a new era of international supremacy.