Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, claiming its second World Cup title. The first came in 2010, when Spain beat the Netherlands by the same score.
The match, broadcast on Fox and Telemundo, was far more lopsided than the final score suggested, according to Deadline. Spain dominated possession throughout, holding the ball 62% of the time in the first half. Argentina's Lionel Messi touched the ball just once in that period. By the end of regular and extra time, Spain had taken 20 shots on goal. Argentina did not record a single shot on goal until the 116th minute.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez was the reason the score stayed level as long as it did. Playing with a broken finger on his right hand, Martínez made 10 saves in the first 98 minutes, an all-time record for a World Cup final. By comparison, he had made nine total saves across the previous seven tournament games combined.
Argentina's chances worsened in the 92nd minute when midfielder Enzo Fernandez received his second yellow card, leaving his team down to 10 men for the remainder of extra time. A potential Spain goal just before the 100th minute was called back after a foul in the box. Then, in the 105th minute, Torres smashed in the winning goal off a deflection for his first of the tournament.
The victory was Spain's first in a World Cup final since 2010 and likely marked the end of Messi's World Cup career. At 39, the Argentina captain was starting in a World Cup final for the third time, a feat no other player has achieved, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sunday's final was also notable for what happened before and during the match. U.S. President Donald Trump was shown on the stadium's jumbotrons shortly after Jennifer Hudson performed the national anthem, and the crowd booed him loudly, according to Rolling Stone. He was shown in his box seat next to Melania Trump several more times throughout the game. Trump was set to present the World Cup trophy to the winning team.
Trump had also inserted himself into the tournament earlier, personally calling FIFA President Gianni Infantino after a red card decision temporarily suspended U.S. striker Folarin Balogun ahead of a round of 16 match against Belgium. The red card was overturned, but the U.S. team lost the game 4-1. The United States had been eliminated in the round of 16.
The 2026 World Cup was hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the first time three nations have shared hosting duties. The 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with opening matches played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, spanning three continents for the first time.
Soccer legend Wayne Rooney, appearing as a pundit on BBC Sport, delivered a swift verdict on the halftime show, which featured Madonna, BTS, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and others. Standing alongside Gabby Logan, Micah Richards, and Joe Hart, Rooney declared, "I like a lot of them artists," before adding, "But I thought it was crap." After a few silent beats, Richards laughed and exclaimed, "So miserable!" Rooney replied, "That's it, honestly." Logan joked, "I'll tell you what else you get on the BBC: honest reviews." When Logan suggested that Bieber may have been the weak point, Rooney agreed: "Yeah, it was too flat." Reaction on social media was largely supportive of Rooney's assessment.
