Spain wins 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina in extra time

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in extra time on a Ferran Torres goal in the 105th minute, winning Spain's second World Cup title.

Objective Facts

Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, beating defending champions Argentina and soccer legend Lionel Messi in a thrilling, extra-time match in front of more than 70,000 boisterous fans in New Jersey. Following a scoreless 98 minutes of normal time, Spain scored a 1-0 victory in extra time on a goal scored by Ferran Torres in the 105th minute of the contest. Spain dominated the match, outshooting Argentina 20-3, but couldn't manage a goal in regulation — finally scoring in the second period of extra time. Spain was the most dominant defensive team to win a World Cup; no champion before them had ever conceded only one goal en route to a title. This will likely be the final World Cup for Argentina's superstar forward Lionel Messi, whose legendary career spans two decades.

Deep Dive

Spain's victory capped a tournament that began on June 11 with 48 teams and was hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The win marked Spain's 38th consecutive match without a loss, a run that includes their trophy in the 2024 European Championship. Under coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain has won three trophies in the last three years; Sunday's triumph capped the European Championship La Roja claimed in 2024 and the UEFA Nations League crown it claimed a year earlier. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, became the oldest coach ever to lead a team to the World Cup title. Spain dominated possession all game, and its defense shut out Argentina almost completely — Argentina recorded zero shots and only two touches in Spain's box through halftime of extra time. For the 90 minutes of regulation, Argentina's defense held firm, with Spain's crosses and attempts broken up by an Argentine shin or cleat or head, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez seemingly always in position to stop any shots that got through. Martínez finished the game with 11 saves, the most ever recorded in a men's World Cup final. Ferran Torres, who came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute, smashed the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez for his first goal of the World Cup. The final was marred by Enzo Fernández's red card for a reckless foul on Pau Cubarsí. Argentina entered the 2026 World Cup trying to be the first team to win four straight major tournaments, having won Copa América in 2021 and 2024 sandwiched around the 2022 World Cup. So much of the talk in the lead-up to Sunday's grand finale was the opportunity for Argentina to do something unprecedented by becoming the first national team ever to win four consecutive major titles, snapping a tie with the legendary Spanish side of the early 2010s. In ending that dream for the 2022 World Cup champs, this generation of Spanish players asserted themselves as worthy successors to both of those dynasties. Spain capitalized on 19-year-old phenomenon Lamine Yamal, who helped lead the country to the European Championship in 2024.

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Spain wins 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina in extra time

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in extra time on a Ferran Torres goal in the 105th minute, winning Spain's second World Cup title.

Jul 20, 2026
What's Going On
  • Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 105th minute.
  • The victory marked Spain's second World Cup title, its first since 2010.
  • The match remained scoreless through 98 minutes of normal time before Spain scored in extra time.
  • Spain had 20 shots and forced Argentina keeper Emi Martinez into a World Cup final record 11 saves.
  • This was likely the final World Cup for Argentina's Lionel Messi, whose legendary career spans two decades.
Objective Deep Dive

Spain's victory capped a tournament that began on June 11 with 48 teams and was hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The win marked Spain's 38th consecutive match without a loss, a run that includes their trophy in the 2024 European Championship. Under coach Luis de la Fuente, Spain has won three trophies in the last three years; Sunday's triumph capped the European Championship La Roja claimed in 2024 and the UEFA Nations League crown it claimed a year earlier. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, at 65, became the oldest coach ever to lead a team to the World Cup title.

Spain dominated possession all game, and its defense shut out Argentina almost completely — Argentina recorded zero shots and only two touches in Spain's box through halftime of extra time. For the 90 minutes of regulation, Argentina's defense held firm, with Spain's crosses and attempts broken up by an Argentine shin or cleat or head, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez seemingly always in position to stop any shots that got through. Martínez finished the game with 11 saves, the most ever recorded in a men's World Cup final. Ferran Torres, who came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute, smashed the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez for his first goal of the World Cup. The final was marred by Enzo Fernández's red card for a reckless foul on Pau Cubarsí.

Argentina entered the 2026 World Cup trying to be the first team to win four straight major tournaments, having won Copa América in 2021 and 2024 sandwiched around the 2022 World Cup. So much of the talk in the lead-up to Sunday's grand finale was the opportunity for Argentina to do something unprecedented by becoming the first national team ever to win four consecutive major titles, snapping a tie with the legendary Spanish side of the early 2010s. In ending that dream for the 2022 World Cup champs, this generation of Spanish players asserted themselves as worthy successors to both of those dynasties. Spain capitalized on 19-year-old phenomenon Lamine Yamal, who helped lead the country to the European Championship in 2024.