It took 106 minutes, but Spain finally broke through. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final Sunday, giving Spain a 1-0 win over Argentina in New Jersey and their second World Cup title.
Torres, who entered the match in the 62nd minute, pounced on a bouncing ball inside the penalty area at the start of the second period of extra time. Pedro Porro whipped a cross into the box, Nico Williams headed it back into space, and Torres hammered a half-volley past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. According to CBS News, it was Torres's first goal of the entire tournament.
"Honestly, I didn't think too much," Torres said after the game. "I just saw the ball coming to me, and I just shot with the power of all the Spanish people."
It was a goal that came after extraordinary Argentine resistance. Spain dominated from the opening whistle, outshooting Argentina 20-3 across the full match. Spain took 15 shots in regulation alone. Argentina took none. Spain earned nine corners. Argentina earned one. And still, 90-plus minutes of that dominance produced no goals.
Argentina's task became even harder late in stoppage time at the end of the second half. Enzo Fernandez flew into a challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi, sending him airborne and leaving referee Slavko Vincic no choice but to produce a second yellow card. Argentina played all of extra time with 10 men.
Even then, Argentina came close to surviving. Lamine Yamal had a chance to win it from about 22 yards out on a free kick, his shot curling toward the right post. Martinez dove to knock it away for his 10th save of the afternoon. He finished the game with 12 saves, the most ever recorded in a World Cup final, according to Al Jazeera.
Thirty-seven seconds into the second period of extra time, the breakthrough finally came.
BBC Sport gave Williams a rating of 9 out of 10 for his role in the winning goal, noting that Spain looked dangerous every time he had the ball at his feet. Torres received an 8. The win also made Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, the oldest coach ever to lead a team to a World Cup title.
"We are world champions," de la Fuente said. "It was together we reached this stage."
Torres said the goal belonged to more than just himself. "It was a goal scored by 47 million people," he said, referring to Spain's population.
The victory carried several historic marks. Spain allowed only one goal across eight matches at the tournament, setting a World Cup record for fewest goals allowed by a champion. La Roja are now unbeaten in their last 38 matches, 29 wins and nine draws, making them the outright holders of the longest such unbeaten streak by any European team. Italy previously held that record at 37 matches.
Spain also became the first nation to simultaneously hold World Cup titles in both men's and women's soccer, and remain the only nation ever to win a European Championship and World Cup in successive tournaments, having now accomplished that feat twice.
For Argentina and Lionel Messi, the final offered little. The 39-year-old Messi finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists but had little time on the ball in the final. A corner kick with about four minutes remaining in extra time came to nothing when reserve Giuliano Simeone sent it high over the crossbar.
Argentina's bid to become the first consecutive World Cup champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 fell short.
There was some pushing and shoving after the final whistle, which was quickly settled. Most Argentina players sat on the turf in disbelief as Spain began their celebration in front of 80,000 fans at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
