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

Ferran Torres struck in extra time at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026, lifting Spain past Argentina 1-0 and sending Spain to its second World Cup title. The decisive goal came after a tense final that stayed scoreless through regulation before Torres finished the job for Spain.

The match was played before a sold-out crowd in the New York and New Jersey region, where the expanded 48-team World Cup reached its last stop with two of the game’s biggest powers in the final. Spain’s victory denied Lionel Messi’s Argentina a second straight championship and closed a tournament that had already put the country back among soccer’s elite.

The final carried a heavy emotional charge for Argentina, with Messi leaving in tears after the loss. It also matched Argentina’s experience against Spain’s younger core, including Lamine Yamal, in a game framed by personal storylines as much as by the trophy on the line. The contrast added to a final that was unusually tight and had to be settled only after extra time.

Spain’s win ended the 2026 tournament with a clean 1-0 result that underlined how little separated the two sides in a match rich with pressure and consequence. For Spain, Torres’ goal delivered a second world title and a return to the top of the sport. For Argentina, the defeat stopped a bid to go back-to-back and left Messi one step short of another championship.