Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 19, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in a tense, tightly contested final. Substitute Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute to break the deadlock and secure the trophy for a Spanish side that dominated possession but had to wait almost two full hours to find a way through.
The result gives Spain their second World Cup title and their first since 2010, adding to the European Championship they won two years earlier. It caps a period of renewed dominance for Spanish football, built around a young core of players.
How it unfolded
Argentina set up to defend and frustrate, and for long stretches it worked. The South Americans failed to register a single shot on target across the 120 minutes, instead relying on a disciplined defensive block and the reflexes of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who made a reported 11 saves — a record for a World Cup final — to keep his side level deep into the match.
The game turned late. Argentina were reduced to ten men when Enzo Fernández was sent off following a rough challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsí in stoppage time. With the extra man, Spain finally found the breakthrough in extra time through Torres, whose finish proved decisive against a tiring Argentina.
For Argentina and Lionel Messi, the defeat closes the book on a run to the final without the storybook ending. Spain, by contrast, suffocated the game their way, controlling the ball and the tempo until the margins finally broke in their favor.
The final was played as part of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The day before, England finished third, beating France in their playoff. Spain's win confirms them as the standout international side of the current era, with a squad young enough to suggest this may not be their last final for some time.
