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Spain are the men’s football world champions for the second time in their history, after coach Luis de la Fuente’s team beat Argentina 1-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final in New Jersey in the United States this morning, NZ time.
Fifa.com reports that although Spain dominated the game from start to finish, they had to wait until the 106th minute to finally find a way past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
He had made 12 saves up to that point but had no answer when Nico Williams nodded down a Pedro Porro cross at the far post and Ferran Torres buried a first-time shot into the roof of the net.
Defending champions Argentina had lost Enzo Fernandez to a second yellow card at the end of normal time, yet they battled to the end.
However, Spain, as when winning the 2010 final, found the answer in extra time, says fifa.com.
It was a head-to-head contest worthy of the World Cup Final, bringing together the champions of Europe and South America, the top two sides in FIFA’s world rankings, each of them unbeaten on the road to the final.
What followed was a first half controlled by Spain, who produced the first notable attempt through Lamine Yamal after five minutes.
Dani Olmo worked the ball to the teenager in space on the right side of the box and he shot low, but Emiliano Martinez got down to block at the near post.
If Spain were in control, it was cagey stuff with La Roja struggling to find gaps in a deep, determined Argentina defence.
With halftime approaching, openings did appear with Mikel Oyarzabal driving a shot at Emiliano Martinez and Marc Cucurella dragging an effort wide.
For Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, the challenge increased with injuries to both of his starting centre-backs as the final progressed, with Lisandro Martinez making way for Nicolas Otamendi just before the break, and Facundo Medina replacing Cristian Romero after 70 minutes.
By that point, Spain were still the side asking all the questions, says fifa.com.
Yamal created an excellent opportunity for Torres after 67 minutes, but he headed too close to Emiliano Martinez.
Pau Cubarsi and substitutes Pedri and Williams all drew saves from the Argentina custodian as the pressure continued, culminating in the goalkeeper’s flying save from Yamal’s free-kick at the very end of normal time.
Argentina had hit 19 goals on their way to the final, yet Spain’s control was such that La Albiceleste did not manage a single attempt until extra time.
Their task became even greater when Fernandez collected his second yellow card for a challenge on Cubarsi three minutes into second-half added time.
Extra time brought more of the same. Emiliano Martinez kept out a Williams header and Merino put another wide, reports fifa.com.
Both Williams and Torres had goals disallowed. In between, though, Torres produced the defining moment to put Spain back on top of the world.
After the final whistle, Spain coach de la Fuente said: “I feel especially proud of this generation of footballers who have grown with this idea, making it better and giving us an example of a group, of a family.
“They are players with exceptional talent. For me, it has been an honour to have accompanied them on this journey. I’m very emotional, looking back.
“We have spoken a lot with the players. We have won everything, and that’s wonderful. They are a generation of footballers who are a source of pride for Spain. Together, we are stronger.”
Key statistics
- Spain have set a record by winning the trophy with just one goal conceded.
- Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, both 19, are the fourth and fifth teenagers to have played in a World Cup Final. As with Pelé (aged 17 in 1958), Giuseppe Bergomni (18 in 1982) and Kylian Mbappe (19 in 2018), they have all ended up on the winning side.
- At 65 years and 28 days old, Luis de la Fuente has become the oldest World Cup-winning coach, surpassing the mark of his compatriot Vicente del Bosque who was 59 years and 220 days when winning Spain’s first world title.
- At 39 years and 25 days old, Lionel Messi became the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup Final, breaking the record of Sweden’s Gunnar Gren, who faced Brazil in 1958 aged 37 years and 241 days.
- Messi is also now the second player to have appeared in three World Cup Finals, doing so in 2014, 2022 and 2026, after Brazil’s Cafu, who played in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 deciders.
