Spain win second World Cup after 1-0 extra-time win over defending champs Argentina
Ferran Torres scored in extra time as Spain held Argentina without a shot on target and claimed its second World Cup title.
- Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, securing its second men's FIFA World Cup title after substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute.
- Before 80,000 spectators, Spain dominated with a 20-1 shot advantage, capping a tournament where they conceded only one goal—the fewest by any World Cup champion in history.
- Argentina struggled offensively, failing to register a single shot on target during regulation time; midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off in the 93rd minute, forcing Argentina to play the final 30 minutes with 10 men.
- Tensions flared after the final whistle when midfielder Leandro Paredes received a red card for physically confronting Spain defender Eric Garcia; Lionel Messi left the field in tears after his final World Cup appearance.
- Spain became the first nation to simultaneously hold both men's and women's World Cup trophies, building on the women's 2023 championship victory in Australia and solidifying the federation's historic status.
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1166 Articles
Reporter’s Message: World Cup, Trump's awkward moment, Futbol impact
The World Cup is over. What can we learn? Spain lifted its second World Cup trophy, beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time on a goal from Ferran Torres, closing out a tournament in which the U.S. men’s team could not get out of its own way. Belgium ended the Americans’ run in the round of 16 on July 6 with a 4-1 blowout in Seattle, the fourth time in five World Cups the U.S. has exited at that same stage. To build a world-class football system like…
Spain wins second World Cup championship
Spain earned their second FIFA World Cup title with a 1-0 victory against Argentina in the championship game on Sunday, July 19. Spain had punched their ticket to the finals with a 2-0 victory against France five days earlier.
A social prestige game
“¡Olé!” I Flew Straight From MetLife Stadium to Join Madrid’s 24-Hour World Cup Celebrations
When I arrived at MetLife for Sunday’s World Cup final, I had already checked in to two red eye flights departing a few hours later: one to Madrid, the other to Buenos Aires. The moment the final whistle blew, I planned to step onto the plane bound for the winners’ country and wake up in the capital of the new world champions.
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