WC Vibes: Spain back on top of the worldSpain outperform Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the FIFA World Cup 2026, ending Lionel Messi's title defence as Ferran Torres delivers the decisive blow.
Ferran Torres scored a dramatic extra-time winner as Spain defeated holders Argentina 1-0 to win the World Cup and shatter Messi’s dreams of retaining the World Cup. The Barcelona striker Torres lashed home in the 106th minute to reward a dominant display by Spain. Argentina failed to log a single shot on target in 120 minutes. “Ultimately, the goal belongs to 47 million people -- not just me or the 26 players,” goal hero Torres said, referring to Spain’s approximate population. “At the end of the day, all finals are tough; when you’re up against Messi, there’s a certain nervousness, but we always believed in our football and in ourselves.” There were ugly scenes after the final whistle as Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes triggered a melee by grabbing Spain defender Eric Garcia around the throat in a skirmish that saw Spanish substitute Gavi thrown to the floor. Messi — almost certainly playing in his final World Cup game at 39 — was reduced to irrelevance as Spain took control early on against an Argentina team who committed cynical fouls throughout. The South Americans’ skulduggery culminated with midfielder Enzo Fernandez being sent off after a brutal challenge on Spain defender Pau Cubarsi in stoppage time. Reigning European champions Spain are back on top of the world for a second time. This title, combined with the Women’s World Cup won by Spain in 2023, makes the European nation the first to hold both the men’s and women’s titles simultaneously. Spain — who last won the title in 2010 — allowed only one goal in eight matches in this World Cup run, setting a record for fewest goals allowed by a champion team. “I feel pride, to be honest,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who at 65 is now the oldest man to lead a team to a World Cup title. “Accompanying them on this journey is an honour.” The 1-0 scoreline, the goal coming in the 106th minute, indicates this match was close, but actually only one team was in command. Spain took the game’s first 20 shots on goal before Argentina — desperate for an equaliser — got their first attempt off in the second half of extra time. Spain took nine of the game’s first 10 corner kicks, and only a World Cup final-record 12 saves by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez kept the 2022 champions alive in the match. Spain are now unbeaten in their last 38 matches — 29 wins, nine draws — and now are the outright holder of the longest such streak by any European men’s team ever. Italy went 37 matches (28 wins, nine draws) from October 2018 through September 2021, before Spain ended that streak. It was the 104th and last match of the biggest World Cup ever, a 48-team event that played out over the US, Canada and Mexico. Because there were more matches than any previous World Cup, it was no surprise that there were more goals than all other editions — 308 in all at 2.96 goals per match. ‘YOUR TEARS ARE OUR TEARS, CAPTAIN’ As the longest World Cup in history meandered on, there was rising anticipation that the final picture could once again be that of Lionel Messi holding the glittering trophy in hand, taking a final bow out of football. Surely, the way Argentina scripted one dramatic win after another in the knockout stages, coming back from the brink of exit again and again, it appeared destiny had designed a befitting farewell for the GOAT.
But after 120 minutes of one-sided football where — even before Argentina were reduced to 10 men in added time of the second half — it was only Spain who called the shots, the final picture was that of Messi in tears as he received the runners-up medal from US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Soon after the Argentina Football Association posted on X: “Your tears are our tears, Captain. You gave us the greatest joys of our lives. Thank you for the dedication, for the magic, and for giving it your all until the very last second. We love you forever, Leo!” Messi is 39 and the math certainly suggests that the Inter Miami star is at the end of his international career. There have been hints — such as Messi himself declaring that a home World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela last year would be his final competitive contest for Argentina on his nation’s soil. “I experienced a lot of things on this pitch, good and not so good,” Messi said that night. “I’ll take the good with me.” He retired from the national team after losing a Copa America final to Chile — in the same stadium he played in Sunday — a decade ago, then came back a few weeks later after changing his mind. Good thing he did, because in that decade he went from superstar to absolute icon, guiding his country to the 2022 World Cup title and Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024. ‘THEY WERE THE BETTER SIDE’ Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted Spain were the better team following his team’s defeat in the World Cup final. “They were the better side — that’s the truth — but I’ll cherish the memory of them (his team), of what they achieved, and of the value of making it this far,” said Scaloni, who later broke down in tears at his post-game press conference. “We have to place immense value on this because it takes so much effort.” Scaloni said his team must accept defeat with the same grace they had shown when celebrating recent successes. “We are gracious in victory, and we must be gracious in defeat. Today, we are showing that we know how to lose,” he said. “We lost the match and we accept it, but that doesn’t mean we stop living or forget everything we did to get here.”
“To the people, my players, and the country, I want to say that we gave it our all,” he said. “We arrived here facing a realistic situation, but if the players leave everything on the pitch, as they did today, it sets a great example for our people and our country. We have to pick ourselves up again, there is no other way,” he added. Scaloni, 48, later cast doubt on his long-term future as Argentina coach, suggesting he may choose to step down when his existing contract ends in December. According to AFP, reports in Argentina have said he has already reached a verbal agreement to continue through to the 2030 World Cup. “I already have an idea of what I want to do,” he said. “I will honour the contract and then see. I feel the need to think, because I don’t know if it’s possible to achieve something as big as this,” Scaloni added at his press conference, before breaking down in tears. MBAPPE RETAINS WORLD CUP GOLDEN BOOT Kylian Mbappe became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Boot twice after Messi failed to add to his tally in Sunday’s final. The France captain scored 10 goals to top the charts ahead of Messi, who finished with eight. England midfielder Jude Bellingham and Norway striker Erling Haaland each scored seven goals.
Real Madrid forward Mbappe, 27, also won the prize with eight goals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where France lost the final to Argentina. The Frenchman, who made his World Cup debut in 2018, scored twice in Saturday’s third-place play-off, which England won 6-4. Mbappe is now also the top scorer in World Cup history, with 22 goals across three World Cups, one ahead of Messi. “When you score that many goals in the World Cup, it certainly takes you to a whole new level,” he said after the match against England. “But I would have preferred not to be the top scorer and to have played in the final. It’s good for my legacy once I’ve retired, but right now, that’s not what’s on my mind.”
RESULT WORLD CUP FINAL Spain 1 (Torres 106) BEAT Argentina 0 FIFA WORLD CUP ROLL OF HONOUR Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament): Rodri (Spain) Golden Boot (Highest scorer of the Tournament): Kylian Mbappe (France) Golden Glove (Goalkeeper of the Tournament): Unai Simon (Spain) Young Player of the Tournament: Pau Cubarsi (Spain) Fair play award: Netherlands
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