Spain secured their second FIFA World Cup title by beating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Substitute Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 106th minute, breaking the deadlock in a tightly contested final [6, 1, 3, 4, 5]. "It was a goal scored by 47 million people – it wasn’t even mine or from the 26 players. It was destined to happen; it was meant to be a winner," Torres said afterward [7].

Argentina faced a setback late in regulation when Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card, leaving the team with 10 men in stoppage time [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Despite the disadvantage, Argentina failed to register a shot on goal until the closing minutes of the match [1, 2, 3, 5]. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made 10 saves during regulation to keep his team in the game, while Spain’s Unai Simon also had key saves [1, 3].

Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente, aged 65, became the oldest coach to win a World Cup title. He praised his team’s dedication and spirit, saying, "I’m so proud of this generation of footballers who have grown up with this philosophy, remained true to it, made it even better, and set an example as a team and a family – they’re excellent, world-class footballers with exceptional talent" [8]. He also noted, "The match should have been decided much earlier... but this is a World Cup final and you have to dig deep even against ten men" [7].

Argentina captain Lionel Messi, playing in his third World Cup final at age 39, was largely ineffective during the match [1, 2, 5].

An estimated 1.8 billion viewers worldwide watched the final, which featured a halftime show with performances by Madonna, BTS, and Shakira for the first time in World Cup history [1, 3, 4]. US President Donald Trump attended the match, sitting near FIFA chief Gianni Infantino and accompanied by Melania Trump [1, 3, 4]. The stadium held approximately 80,000 spectators [4].

After the final whistle, Spain fans in Madrid and across the country celebrated with chants, flares, and street gatherings [9, 10]. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged Spain as the better team and praised his squad’s effort, saying, "They were the better side – that’s the truth – but I’ll cherish the memory of them (his side), of what they achieved, and of the value of making it this far" and "We are gracious in victory, and we must be gracious in defeat. Today, we are showing that we know how to lose" [11].

Spain remains unbeaten in 38 matches and is widely regarded as the dominant international team at present [8, 7].