Spain clinched their second World Cup title on Sunday, July 19th, 2026, with a 1-0 victory over a 10-man Argentina team in extra time. Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match in the 106th minute, breaking the deadlock after a tightly contested final.

This triumph came 16 years and eight days after Andres Iniesta's extra-time goal secured Spain's first World Championship in 2010. Spain remains the only nation to have won the European Championship and World Cup in successive tournaments, achieving this feat for a second time.

Throughout the match, Spain dominated possession and created 20 shots, while Argentina, the defending champions, failed to register a single shot until late in the game. Argentina was reduced to 10 players after Enzo Fernandez received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Pau Cubarsi just before the end of regular time.

Spain also became the first World Cup champion to concede only one goal throughout the entire tournament. Meanwhile, Argentina, led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi—an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who finished the competition with eight goals and four assists—failed to secure a title for the first time in three major tournaments, having won the 2021 and 2024 Copa Americas and the 2022 World Cup previously.

The breakthrough goal came swiftly in the second period of extra time, just 37 seconds after play resumed, turning what had been a difficult match into a decisive victory for Spain.

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