EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Ferran Torres secured Spain’s second men’s World Cup title with a decisive extra-time goal against the defending champions, Argentina, during a heated final that saw Enzo Fernández sent off for a dangerous foul on Pau Cubarsí.
The Barcelona forward, who came on as a substitute for Mikel Oyarzabal in the 62nd minute, scored the only goal in the 106th minute, leading Spain to a 1-0 victory and marking his first goal of the tournament.
“The goal belonged to 47 million people,” Torres remarked. “It wasn’t just mine or the 26 players. Destiny was written, and we were meant to win even away from our people.”
By that time, Argentina was reduced to ten players after Fernández received a second yellow card and subsequent red for his foul on Cubarsí in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half.
Spain largely dominated the match, creating numerous chances but failing to convert until Torres’s goal. Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, made 11 saves, setting a record for the most saves in a World Cup final.
Spain’s control was evident as Argentina did not record their first shot until Lionel Messi had a shot blocked in the 117th minute.
Messi, now the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup final at 39, concluded the tournament with eight goals, falling just two short of France‘s Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot.
Although Messi has yet to announce his future plans, he appears to have wrapped up his World Cup career with a total of 21 goals, just one behind Mbappé.
“I feel sad,” Messi said, emotional after receiving his runner-up medal while looking at the Argentine crowd. “They were better, to be honest.”
Argentina aimed to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive World Cups but could not keep pace with Spain, despite Messi’s presence not creating any significant threats against Luis de la Fuente’s squad.
“I feel sadness, but I know we gave our all out there,” said Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni. “I want to thank these players eternally for bringing us to another World Cup final and competing until the end. They were better; that’s the truth. But I will cherish the great memories of this group and their remarkable journey to get this far.”
Spain withstood late pressure from Argentina to claim their first World Cup since defeating Netherlands in 2010.
“When you have Messi on the other side, it makes you nervous,” Torres admitted. “Ultimately, we always relied on our style of play, and we proved that once again.”
Spain finished the World Cup allowing only one goal— the fewest ever for a champion, despite playing eight matches, more than any previous title-winning team.
The victory made de la Fuente, at 65, the oldest coach to lead a team to World Cup glory.
“We are world champions,” said de la Fuente. “Together, we reached this level. I feel immense pride; it’s an honor to accompany my players on this journey.”
In addition to their second World Cup title, Spain’s win extended their unbeaten streak to 38 matches across all competitions (29-9-0 W-D-L), surpassing Italy’s previous record.
They now join the ranks of the three reigning European champions to clinch the World Cup, having previously done so in 2008-10 and 1972-74 alongside West Germany.
Once the game concluded, the players expressed to their coach, “What’s next? We’ve won everything!” De la Fuente noted. “We determined that our next adventure will be the match in September against England at Wembley because this team doesn’t rest.”
This final match marked the end of the biggest World Cup yet, a 48-team spectacle held across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. With more matches played than in any earlier World Cups, it was unsurprising that the event also saw record-breaking goals, totaling 307 and counting by the end of Sunday.
The event attracted a myriad of celebrities. Actors such as Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Matt Damon were spotted, along with NBA stars like Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant, and James Harden.
Prominent tennis figures like Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz attended, alongside NFL stars such as Eli Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Odell Beckham Jr., and Saquon Barkley. Olympic skiing legends Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn were also present, along with soccer icons like Kaka, David Beckham, Didier Drogba, and Zinedine Zidane, alongside a reunion of Spain’s 2010 winning team.
Post Malone performed at the closing ceremony, which began approximately 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday, right after Messi and the Argentine team arrived. The halftime show, a first for FIFA, lasted 27 minutes and featured stars like Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Coldplay, and even characters from “Sesame Street” and “The Muppets.”
Former President Donald Trump was in attendance to present the trophy to Rodri, as Spain celebrated their ascent to the pinnacle of soccer once again.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.