Spain wins the World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0 on goal in extra time
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final following a goal by Ferran Torres in extra time. The victory marks Spain's second World Cup title and establishes them as the first nation to hold both men's and women's titles simultaneously.
Why it matters
This win cements Spain's dominance in international football and marks a significant transition point for Lionel Messi's career on the global stage.
Ferran Torres' first goal of this year's World Cup was the goal of his life, and it put Spain back atop the soccer world.
Denying Lionel Messi a second straight title in what he has indicated would be his final World Cup match, Torres came off the bench and scored in the 106th minute, and Spain — in a match it simply dominated — ended Argentina's reign with a 1-0 win on Sunday.
Torres pounced on a bouncing ball in the box and used his left foot to bury a shot just under the crossbar and into the back of the net.
"It was a goal scored by 47 million people," Torres said, referring to Spain's population.
Maybe not by them — but certainly for them.
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