Spain beat Argentina in World Cup final, wins second title

Ferran Torres scored in extra time and Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup final, giving the national team its second world title and setting off celebrations that Luis de la Fuente and his players framed as a victory for the whole country.

De la Fuente’s first comments after the match kept that message front and center. He had spent the buildup describing the Argentina final as a “fantastic spectacle” and a “pure football spectacle,” and said playing the defending champion would be a privilege. After the final whistle, he and Torres spoke as much about Spain as about the trophy, turning a tense championship night into a broader statement of national pride.

The result finished a run that had already restored Spain to the center of the tournament. Spain reached the final after beating France 2-0 in the semifinals on July 14, 2026, a performance that sent La Roja into the title match with momentum and raised expectations at home. Against Argentina, the match stayed scoreless through regulation before Torres broke the deadlock in extra time, sealing the 1-0 win and the country’s first World Cup title since 2010.

The symbolism mattered because de la Fuente had also defended Spain publicly in the dispute around the Finalissima against Argentina, saying, “we wanted to play.” That line echoed through the World Cup final buildup and gave the championship a larger edge: this was not only a sporting rematch, but a chance for Spain’s coach to insist on the legitimacy of his team’s place on the biggest stage.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged the loss after the final, lamenting the defeat while thanking his players for their effort. For Spain, the result completed a second title run that connected the 2010 generation to a new one led by Torres and de la Fuente, and it did so in a final that both sides had treated as a showcase for elite football on the world’s biggest stage.