Spain beat Argentina in extra time to win second World Cup title

Ferran Torres struck in the 106th minute at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Spain held on for a 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The result gave Spain its second World Cup title and denied Argentina a chance to become back-to-back champions after winning in 2022.

The final turned sharply after Enzo Fernández was sent off, leaving Argentina to play much of the match with 10 men and forcing Lionel Scaloni to reshape a game plan that had already been built around a tight contest. Spain did not need many openings. Torres finished the decisive chance in extra time, and the goal ended a final that had already started to tilt toward the side that controlled the game with more composure.

For Spain, the celebration around Luis de la Fuente, Pedro Porro and Unai Simón carried the sense of a national program reaching its destination. De la Fuente’s role went beyond one match: Scaloni had studied for his UEFA Pro Licence under him at the Spanish Football Federation in 2017, giving the final a rare coach-versus-mentor edge. That connection had made this matchup a personal storyline long before kickoff, and it ended with the teacher’s side lifting the trophy.

Simón’s night had added significance even in defeat of the match’s tension. The Spain goalkeeper had set a FIFA World Cup record with 519 consecutive minutes without conceding, a shutout streak that stood as one of the tournament’s defining numbers until the final finally broke it. Even so, his run and Spain’s defensive shape showed how thoroughly de la Fuente’s squad had been built around structure, patience and collective discipline.

Argentina’s response was one of visible emotion at the final whistle. Scaloni, who had delivered the country the 2022 title, acknowledged Spain’s superiority and thanked his players for carrying Argentina to another World Cup final. The defeat closed one path, the pursuit of a repeat championship, and opened another harder one for Argentine soccer: deciding how much of the Scaloni era remains after a final that ended in frustration, a red card and one late Spanish finish.