Spain won the 2026 World Cup final by defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time on July 19 in the United States. The winning goal came from Ferran Torres in the 106th minute, securing Spain’s victory over the defending champions Argentina [1, 2, 3, 4].
Argentina had reached the final after a dramatic 2-1 semi-final win over England, a match marked by the Argentine players displaying a banner reading “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas,” a sign of political significance [1, 2, 3]. This victory carried symbolic weight for many Argentines, with fans and players expressing pride in overcoming England, despite falling short in the final. Julián Escalante said, “We defeated Los Ingleses [the English], man! And that’s what matters. We made it to the final. We made it to extra time. That’s because we’ve got huevos.” [4]
The loss ended Argentina's chance to win back-to-back World Cups, having triumphed in 2022 in Qatar [1, 2, 3, 4]. Fans gathered in Buenos Aires at the Obelisk monument on the evening of July 19 to celebrate the team’s effort despite the defeat. Though crowds were smaller than after their 2022 victory, supporters still showed strong backing. Fernanda Ramayon commented, “I recognise when a team plays well, and Spain played very well. I think it’s a lot to have reached the final. I’m happy anyway.” [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Criticism emerged about Argentina’s style of play and sportsmanship throughout the tournament and especially in the final. Some accused the team of dirty tactics, repeated fouls, and confrontations on the pitch. After the final, Argentina’s players notably turned their backs during Spain’s trophy presentation, an act widely condemned as poor sportsmanship [6, 7]. However, many Argentines rejected the harsh portrayals, arguing the team’s passion and pride were being mistaken for arrogance. Pedro Rosemblat said, “There’s something about Argentine irreverence that they can’t tolerate... they call us cocky, cheaters, dirty. And we love it, it fills us with pride.” [6]
Despite the absence of Lionel Messi, the Argentine team received a heroes’ welcome back home on July 21 when fans gathered from the airport to the football association headquarters in Buenos Aires [8]. Ornella Godoy described the mood: “Of course, it's a very bitter sensation but we still beat the British, Messi had been missing that.”
The next major international football events will now look to Spain as the reigning World Cup champions. Argentina will evaluate their squad and strategy following a tournament that left supporters proud but also divided in opinion.
