Spain Win 2026 World Cup: Ferran Torres' Extra-Time Strike Stuns 10-Man Argentina

Spain Win 2026 World Cup: Ferran Torres' Extra-Time Strike Stuns 10-Man Argentina

The match at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was a tale of Spanish dominance and Argentine resilience, as La Roja controlled possession and created chance after chance but could not find a way past the inspired Emiliano Martinez.

Spain, who had conceded just one goal in the entire tournament, dominated from the first whistle, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal forcing a fine save from Martinez in the opening minutes.

The first half ended goalless, with Spain connecting on twice as many passes as Argentina and the defending champions struggling to get out of their own half, failing to register a single shot on target.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Spain continuing to pile on the pressure. Argentina suffered a blow when Lisandro Martinez was forced off with an injury, replaced by Nicolas Otamendi.

Spain had multiple chances to break the deadlock, with Pau Cubarsi and Dani Olmo both testing Martinez, but the Argentine goalkeeper was in inspired form, making save after save to keep his team in the game.

The tension boiled over in the 82nd minute when Enzo Fernandez was booked for dissent, and he saw red in the 93rd minute after a reckless tackle on Cubarsi, leaving Argentina with 10 men heading into extra time.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Argentina held firm through the first half of extra time, with Martinez making his 10th save of the match to deny Lamine Yamal's curling free-kick.

However, Spain's relentless pressure finally told in the 106th minute when Ferran Torres, who had come on as a substitute in the 62nd minute, pounced on a bouncing ball in the box and used his left foot to bury a shot just under the crossbar, giving Spain a 1-0 lead.

It was the first goal of the tournament for the Barcelona forward, and it could not have come at a more crucial moment.

Spain's victory was the culmination of a remarkable tournament in which they conceded just one goal, kept six clean sheets, and went unbeaten with six wins and a draw.

The win marks their first World Cup triumph since 2010 and their second overall. Spain also became the first nation to simultaneously hold the World Cup crowns in both men's and women's soccer.

For Lionel Messi, the defeat brought an end to what he has indicated would be his final World Cup appearance, as the 39-year-old superstar fell short in his quest for a second consecutive title.